The Pretend Wife
by kimsangeun
Summary: Yi Jung was a self confessed Casanova while Ga eul was your regular girl next door. In spite of their differences they had managed to become good friends. Their world suddenly turns upside down when Yi Jung's mother issues him an ultimatum- get married or else forfeit his right as heir. Yi Jung turns to Ga eul for help by asking her to marry him. Will she agree?
1. The Ultimatum

Yi Jung adjusted his tie nervously as he stood in front of the huge mahogany door outside his mother‟s study. She had called him a few hours ago asking him to see her and Yi Jung had this bad feeling that he would not like this conversation that they were going to have. Knowing his mother, he knew she was up to something and it was making him nervous- really nervous.

He raised his hand hesitantly and knocked on the door.

"Come in." His mother‟s voice rang out from the other side of the room.

Yi Jung grasped the brass door knob and opened the door. His mother was seated behind a huge antique desk looking over some papers. For such a petite woman, it never ceased to amaze Yi Jung how she can command such a presence. She looked right at home behind the masculine desk and had managed not to be swallowed up by it. He quietly slipped inside and gently closed the door behind him. As soon as the door closed, his mother looked up and gazed at him with her piercing brown eyes. Yi Jung gulped. This was definitely not going to be good.

"You wanted to talk to me Omma?" Yi Jung asked as he stood by the doorway.

"Yi Jung, come here and take a seat. I have some matters that I wanted to discuss with you." His mother answered as she fixed the papers on her desk and placed them away.

Yi Jung walked towards his mother‟s desk and settled himself on a chair. He brushed off an invisible lint from his dark Armani suit and tried to look calm as he waited for his mother to speak. He was already 26 years old but his mother never failed to make him tremble like a child. She had this certain aura around her that made people sit and listen and she had certainly used this with Yi Jung all through out the years that he was growing up. Not that she was a bad mother. She was quite the opposite actually. She had raised Yi Jung while juggling a business empire and a failed marriage. His father was a disappointment. He was a philanderer and an alcoholic and had went on with his womanizing ways all through out his marriage. But his mother was not deterred by a good for nothing husband. She was strong willed and brave and had taken over the business his irresponsible father refused to handle. She had been a hands- on mother in spite of all the commitments and meetings that she had regarding the family owned museum. Yi Jung had always admired his mother and respected her views and opinions.

"How are you doing, Yi Jung?" His mother asked him as she leaned over her desk to take a good look at her son.

"I‟m fine Omma." Yi Jung answered.

"I trust that you are already quite familiar with how we run the museum?" His mother inquired. As soon as Yi Jung had graduated from university his mother had put him to work on the museum and he has since then been learning and familiarizing himself with the business that would eventually be his own.

"Yes, Omma." Yi Jung replied.

His mother leaned back and rested herself against her chair. She continued to stare at Yi Jung as if scrutinizing him. Yi Jung could feel his palms sweating.

"I have decided to start turning over the museum to you. You are old enough and I feel that you are already quite capable of handling it on your own." His mother finally declared after a few minutes of silence.

Yi Jung started to breathe a sigh of relief. If this is what his mother had wanted to talk about he could definitely handle it. He knew the ins and outs of the business as if it were the back of his hands. Taking over will be easy enough for him.

"However" His mother added sharply. Yi Jung froze and he could feel cold fear trickling down his spine. He held his breath as he waited her to speak up. "Your personal life leaves nothing to be desired. I can‟t believe how you could live like your father."

Yi Jung could feel himself blush with shame. Aside from inheriting his father‟s gifted hands in pottery he had also unfortunately inherited his love for women. He had been a self confessed Casanova since his teenage years and had continued on until now much to his mother‟s dismay.

"Omma.." He started to speak up but his mother interrupted him.

"So Yi Jung, you are 26 years old. When will you grow up and become a man? How many times have I told you that women are not toys? Emotions are not to be toyed with young man. How many times have I told you that before? Yi Jung‟s mother said in a firm voice while Yi Jung stayed quiet. "Before I turn over the business to you I want to see you as a mature and responsible man both in your career and your personal life. You know that I never approved your love for women." She said in a condescending tone that made Yi Jung flinch. "Therefore, I want to see you settled down first before I hand over the entire business to you."

Yi Jung balked at what his mother had said. Did he hear her right? Yi Jung blinked several times as he tried to process his mother‟s words.

Yi Jung‟s mother looked at her son directly in the eyes. "I want you to get married Yi Jung, otherwise the museum will not be yours."


	2. Yi Jung's Dilemma

Yi Jung stared at his mother uncomprehendingly for a few minutes. His brain seemed to refuse to understand what his mother had just said.

"You‟re going to disown me?" Yi Jung whispered. His heart beat was erratic and his breathing was shallow and labored. His mother cannot do this to him. The museum was his entire life. It was what he was born to do. Without it he was going to be lost.

His mother sighed. "I‟m not going to disown you Yi Jung. I‟m just saying that I want you to settle your life first before handling such a big responsibility such as the museum." She explained.

"You expect me to fix my life by getting married?" Yi Jung asked disbelievingly.

His mother frowned. "You don‟t have any plans of getting married at all?"

Yi Jung was silent. How could he explain to his mother that marriage was not something he had configured in his long term plans for the future? No matter how hard he denied it, he knew that he was his father‟s son. Why would he drag some poor unfortunate soul into a marriage that was doomed in the first place? He had seen how his mother had suffered in the hands of his useless father and he did not want history to repeat itself. It was best to steer clear from it entirely.

"Are you saying that you are happy with your life flitting from one woman to the next?" His mother asked as she raised an eyebrow at him.

Yi Jung weighed his response. A wrong answer could send his mother over the edge. "My life is fine as it is as of now." He slowly replied.

The frown on his mother‟s face deepened. "You do know that I expect to have a grand child in the near future. A legitimate heir to our family‟s legacy." She said as she emphasized on the word legitimate.

Yi Jung grimaced at what his mother had said. He had forgotten about that. As the sole heir to the So museum of course he was expected to have a child to carry on their lineage. But still, marriage was an alien word for him. How could he possibly convince his mother to get off his back about it?

"I just don‟t like history repeating itself, Omma." Yi Jung tried to explain.

"Nonsense!" His mother exclaimed. "You are not your father. Is this why you‟re so afraid of marriage? You‟re afraid you might become like your father? Listen to me Yi Jung, you are nothing like your father. I raised you to be a good and responsible man. I believe in you."

Yi Jung was both happy and scared upon hearing his mother‟s fervent words. He was ecstatic that his mother believed in him so much but at the same time he was scared as hell because he might just disappoint her in the end.

"My words are final Yi Jung. The museum will not be yours until you find yourself a wife."

Yi Jung‟s shoulders dropped in despair. There was no convincing his mother out of it. Apparently she has made up her mind and if he wants to inherit the museum that he had placed his heart and soul into, it looks like he‟d better start looking.

As soon as he left his mother‟s study, he headed towards his orange sports car and drove towards his studio. He stepped on the accelerator so hard that the wheels squealed in protest. He wanted to scream out his frustration. There was no use arguing with his mother. He loved her dearly but there were times such as these that he could not stand her at all. She did have the tendency to control his life and even if she does this out of love and concern for him, there were just times wherein Yi Jung resented it so much.

He started to calm down as soon as he entered his studio. It had always been his sanctuary- his home away from home. This was where he went when he wanted to be alone. He took off his coat and placed it on the coat rack behind the door. He headed towards his work bench and ran his hand through the rough surface area of his potter‟s wheel. He had to think of a way to get himself out of this. He knew that if he could not find himself a wife his mother will take matters into her own hands and find him one. Arranged marriages were nothing new in the world he lived in but even still he could not see himself living out the rest of his life with someone that was chosen for him. If he were to get married, it would be to a girl of his own choosing whether he loved her or not.

The next day Yi Jung was sitting on the couch at the F4‟s lounge lost in thought. Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin, his best friends since he was little, were busy playing pool but Yi Jung was not in the mood to join them. He had stayed up all night thinking of a possible wife but he could not think of one. He had scanned his little black book searching for the one woman that he could bring home to his mother but he could not find one. He had to admit that almost all of the women that he had associated himself with were not wife material. They were good as one night stands but Yi Jung could not imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone of them. Just the thought of it had made his skin crawl.

"Yo Yi Jung, you‟re spacing out man. Is something bothering you?" Woo Bin, his closest friend among the three approached him a few minutes later. He sat down across Yi Jung and looked at him with brotherly concern.

Yi Jung looked at his friend, contemplating whether he should tell him his problem or not. He did not want to burden his friends with family affairs as he knew that each one of them had problems of their own. But on second thought, maybe they could help him out with his dilemma.

"My mom talked to me yesterday." Yi Jung started to say. Woo Bin leaned closer in order to listen better while Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo moved closer to his chair in order to hear what he had to say.

"And?" Woo Bin prompted.

Yi Jung took a deep breath and continued his story. "She wants me to take over the museum." He said.

"That‟s great Yi Jung!" Jun Pyo exclaimed. "It‟s about time you know." Jun Pyo had been handling Shinwa‟s businesses for two years now.

"Then why are you so troubled?" Ji Hoo asked. "Don‟t you want to take over the museum?"

"I do." Yi Jung replied. "It‟s just, it‟s not that easy."

"What do you mean?" Woo Bin asked, a confused look on his face.

"She‟s not going to hand over the business that easily." Yi Jung explained. "She told me that she was going to give it to me in one condition."

"And what is that?" Jun Pyo asked curiously.

"She wants me to get married." Yi Jung announced.

"Mwoh?!" All three of his friends exclaimed at the same time.

"But you don‟t want to get married." Woo Bin said.

"She‟s not taking no for an answer. It‟s either get married or lose my rights to the museum." Yi Jung said as he rubbed

his temple with his fingers. He was having a migraine.

"Looks like you don‟t have any choice then. Any ideas for your potential wife to be?" Jun Pyo asked.

Yi Jung shook his head. He rested his head against the sofa and closed his eyes. The rest of the guys were quiet for awhile as they contemplated on Yi Jung‟s problem. After a few minutes, Ji Hoo spoke up.

"How about Ga eul?" He suggested.

Yi Jung opened his eyes and looked at his friend. "What did you say Ji Hoo?" Yi Jung asked.

"I said how about Ga eul." Ji Hoo repeated his suggestion.

Yi Jung looked at him blankly. Ji Hoo sighed. "Why don‟t you ask Ga eul if she could be your wife?"

"Ga eul?" Yi Jung asked with a surprised expression on his face. He never considered Ga eul at all.

"I think that‟s a great suggestion Ji Hoo." Woo Bin agreed. Yi Jung turned towards his best friend with a shocked expression on his face.

"What?" Woo Bin asked defensively. "I think Ga eul would make a wonderful wife. Plus you‟re already good friends. I‟m sure being married to her wouldn‟t be so bad."

Jun Pyo nodded his head in agreement. "Yah, I agree with your suggestion Ji Hoo. I think Ga eul would be your best choice."

Yi Jung stared at his friends and they gazed back at him expectantly. "Surely, you see this as a great idea Yi Jung." Woo Bin encouraged. "You‟ve known her for years. You‟re sure that she‟s not a total psycho who will kill you while you sleep or suck you dry with her endless spending. Best of all, she can tolerate you." He said with a smirk.

"Yah, what do you mean by that Woo Bin?" Yi Jung protested as he frowned at his friend.

Woo Bin continued to smirk at his friend. "All I‟m saying is that Ga eul could very well be your life saver." The rest of his friends nodded their agreement.

Yi Jung was lost in thought as he contemplated his friends‟ suggestions. He was still quite hesitant about it. Not because he did not think that Ga eul would make a suitable wife. It was because he knew that Ga eul still believed in the promise of soul mates, and in finding true love. Can he taint this dream of hers by asking her to commit to a marriage of convenience?


	3. Lovelorn Daydreams

"Teacher Ga eul, look at what I made!" One of Ga eul‟s kindergarteners exclaimed excitedly as she proudly showed Ga eul the chunk of clay that was her creation. Ga eul stared at her student‟s creation for a minute as she tried to decipher what it was. "It‟s really pretty Eun Sun." She answered with a smile. She finally gave up trying to make out what it was but did not want her student to know.

"It looks exactly like my pet dog at home." Eun Sun continued. Ga eul gave a sigh of relief. "It‟s a really nice dog Eun Sun. Why don‟t you put it on the table over there and let it dry. Just look for your name." Ga eul answered as she led Eun Sun to one corner of the room. Ga eul checked the big clock on the wall and learned that they had only a few minutes before school was finished for the day. She then herded her group of kindergarteners and instructed them to clean up. She had been teaching the kindergarten class at Shinwa Preschool for three years now and had been enjoying her job immensely. She had always loved children and being a teacher was a perfect way to be around them all the time.

After cleaning up, Ga eul led her students in a farewell song and hugged each one of them goodbye. When the last student finally left, Ga eul let out a sigh and plopped down on the teacher‟s chair. She was exhausted. Handling 10 overactive kids was not an easy feat and she was usually spent at the end of the day.

Ga eul looked out of the big picture window and watched the other kids playing in the playground. She couldn‟t help but smile as she watched them. She loved kids and had always hoped to someday have one of her own. However, it looks like that won‟t be happening anytime soon. She didn‟t even have a boyfriend let alone a husband. She was 24 years old but she had never had a boyfriend ever since Yi Jung sunbae had saved her from that good for nothing ex boyfriend of hers almost eight years ago. It wasn‟t because nobody was interested. She has had her fair share of admirers through the years. It was just because she hasn‟t found anybody worth giving her heart to yet. On second thought, Ga eul admitted to herself, she had found him a long time ago. He was just not interested and looks like he never will be. She was just a friend to him and she will always remain a friend. She could never hope to be in the same league as the women he dated. Ga eul sighed again. That‟s the story of her non-existent love life.

She knew that her parents especially her mother was getting worried about it. They had been pestering her on wanting to have a grandchild for some time now and they fretted that it might never happen. Her mother couldn‟t understand why she was not interested in any of her admirers. She had to admit that there were a few of them who would have made a good husband but she couldn‟t bring herself to say yes to them. It would be unfair for them for her heart already belonged to someone else.

Ga eul opened the drawer on her table and took out a picture that she had tucked inside her lesson plan book. It was a picture of her and Yi Jung sunbae taken during her 23rd birthday. He had surprised her with a party at one of the top restaurants in Seoul. It wasn‟t a big affair, just family and friends but it touched Ga eul immensely knowing that he had arranged it for her. Surprisingly, she and Yi Jung had become close throughout the years and she could say that he considered her as one of his closest friends. She had always been there during his ups and downs and he had accepted her as a constant feature in his life. The other F4 guys had always referred to her as Yi Jung‟s girl. You could say that she was the girl version of Woo Bin. If Woo Bin was his best guy friend, she was his best girl friend. Their relationship had remained completely platonic and Ga eul had to endure years of seeing Yi Jung with other women. He was a Casanova after all. Jan di, her best friend since preschool, had always lectured her about it. She knew very well Ga eul‟s hidden feelings for the handsome playboy and she couldn‟t understand why Ga eul continued to harbor feelings for someone who could not love her back in return. Call her pathetic but she would gladly take what Yi Jung had to offer. If it was only friendship that he could offer then she would accept it with no complaints. Ga eul gave a sad smile. Looks like she was going to die a spinster.

Her phone suddenly rang, bringing Ga eul out of her thoughts. She fished her phone out of her bag and checked the caller id. "Speaking of the devil". She thought as she read Yi Jung‟s name.

"Yeboseyo." Ga eul answered as she brought her phone to her ears.

"Ga eul yang." Yi Jung‟s smooth voice was heard on the other line. "Are you busy?" He asked.

"Ne, school‟s out for the day. I‟m just fixing my things in the classroom. Why do you ask Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul replied.

"Can you drop by my studio?" He asked.

"You mean today?" Ga eul clarified.

"Yes." Yi Jung confirmed. "That is if you‟re not busy."

"Is there something wrong Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked uneasily. She couldn‟t figure out why he would want her to go and see him at such a short notice. She had to admit that she often dropped by his studio unannounced and he never

seemed to mind but he never really requested her to go- until now.

"I just want to talk to you about something." Yi Jung said mysteriously, heightening Ga eul‟s curiosity.

"What is it about?" Ga eul persisted.

"Yah, Ga eul just come. You‟ll know soon enough." Yi Jung said.

Ga eul let out a defeated sigh. Why can‟t she ever say no to him? "Alright Yi Jung sunbae, I‟ll be there in 30 minutes." She finally gave in.

"That‟s great!" Yi Jung exclaimed. She could feel him smiling through the phone. "See you in a few minutes Ga eul. Bye."

"Bye." Ga eul whispered back and she threw her phone back inside her bag as soon as she pressed the end button. She then gathered her things and headed out the door in order to take the subway to Yi Jung‟s studio.

What could Yi Jung possibly want to talk about? She felt fear in her heart. What if he was going to tell her that he had fallen in love and he was going to get married? Ga eul‟s heart dropped in despair. She had always been dreading that day. She knew that it was highly unlikely given his playboy image. And he seems to enjoy his current lifestyle. But still, anything could happen and Ga eul had always believed that there was someone out there who was destined for each person. What if Yi Jung had unexpectedly found his?


	4. The Unconventional Proposal

Yi Jung paced back and forth inside his studio as he waited for Ga eul to arrive. He had just spoken to her less than five minutes ago but he was already feeling restless. He had been awake last night until the wee hours of the morning thinking of Ji Hoo‟s suggestion. He had been extremely surprised when Ji Hoo had suggested Ga eul as a prospective wife. It must be because he had drilled into his mind a thousand times that Ga eul was off limits. She was an untouchable for him for so many reasons. For one thing, she was Jan di‟s best friend who in turn was Jun Pyo‟s wife. She was too close into his circle that it would make things too complicated if he ever pursued her and everything ended up badly. He does not have any plans of being in the receiving end of Jan di‟s amazing flying kick. He had seen her in action before and he was not in a hurry to experience it firsthand. Another thing was that he had always perceived Ga eul as a girl who took relationships seriously. She was a dreamer, an idealist while he on the other hand was a cynic when it came to matters of the heart. She was a believer of true love and he was far from that. He had seen so many failed relationships in his life that he came into a conclusion that love does not last. He couldn‟t remember how many times they had argued in the past as they debated on their principles and beliefs regarding that matter and in the end they had reached an impasse and decided to drop the subject all together. Apart from all this, Yi Jung had to admit that the main reason why he did not pursue Ga eul was that she was his friend- a very good friend for that matter. Aside from Woo Bin she was the only person who knew him inside and out. He valued his friendship with her and he did not want to taint such a wonderful relationship with something so trivial such as love.

But now, as he was posed with such a life-altering decision, he couldn‟t help but agree with Ji Hoo and the rest of his friends that she might just be his life saver. For the first time, after being friends for so long, he had allowed himself to imagine Ga eul as a lover-someone to spend the rest of his life with. He imagined waking up beside her every day, taking cups of tea over stimulating conversations, taking her out to lunches and dinners, having her beside him during galas and formal dinners for the museum and he had found out after mulling over these that he did not mind it at all. He did not mind having Ga eul around for the rest of his life. In fact if he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he was actually kind of looking forward to it. Now, if only she could also see it that way.

Yi Jung sighed as he checked his watch. It was only ten minutes since he had spoken to her. He still had twenty minutes to kill and he was going to go insane if he just stood there and did nothing. He walked over to his drawer and took out his work apron. Might as well get some work done while he waited for her. Working with clay had always calmed him down and he needed that right now. He sat in front of his potter‟s wheel and started to work. He felt the cold clay beneath his hands and felt his nerves settling as he watched the clay slowly take form in front of his eyes.

Ga eul stood nervously in front of Yi Jung‟s studio. She had been standing there for five minutes now but she couldn‟t bring herself to go inside or even at least knock on his door. She took a deep breath and adjusted her red coat as she tried to calm her nerves. Her instinct was telling her that something big was about to happen but she couldn‟t put her finger on it. She chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to decide if she was ready to enter and face Yi Jung but she couldn‟t stand in front of his door the whole day. With her heart hammering incessantly in her chest, she reached out for the door knob and opened the door.

Yi Jung looked up immediately as soon as he heard the door open. He watched Ga eul step inside his studio and close the door gently behind her.

"You came." Yi Jung said as his gaze locked on hers.

"I told you I was coming didn‟t I?" Ga eul said with a wry smile.

Yi Jung smiled. He stood up from his work bench and headed towards the sink to wash his hands. The vase that he was working on had lain forgotten on his potter‟s wheel. The vase would have to wait. There were more important matters to think about.

Ga eul watched Yi Jung as he moved about in his studio. With tentative steps, she walked further inside Yi Jung‟s studio and placed her purse on the table. She also unbuttoned her coat and placed it on the coat rack beside Yi Jung‟s.

"Do you want some tea?" Ga eul asked.

"That would be nice." Yi Jung agreed as he took off his apron and placed it back inside the drawer.

Ga eul headed towards the small kitchen at the back of Yi Jung‟s studio. She had been to Yi Jung‟s studio so many times that she already knew her way around it. She took the small tea pot from the shelf and started to boil water. She also took out the matching tea cups and placed it on a wooden tray that she found in one of the cabinets. Ga eul was busy with the task at hand that she did not notice Yi Jung standing on the door way watching her with an amused smile on his face.

Yi Jung observed Ga eul as she moved purposefully around the kitchen. She looked right at home inside his little kitchen that Yi Jung couldn‟t help but smile. He started imagining her making breakfast for him in the near future and his smile grew wider. Yi Jung! Don‟t get ahead of yourself. She hasn‟t agreed yet. He reprimanded himself. He moved back into his studio to wait for her before she could catch him staring. A few minutes later, Ga eul stepped out of the kitchen with the wooden tray on her hands. Yi Jung took it from her and placed it on the table. Ga eul settled herself on the bench as Yi Jung poured out the tea for them.

"So, what did you want to talk about Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul finally asked after they had finished their tea.

Yi Jung gathered the cups and placed them on the tray before answering her. "I have both good news and bad news."

He said as he stood up and brought the tray back into the kitchen. Ga eul stood up and followed him.

"Tell me the good news first." Ga eul said. Yi Jung turned around and walked out to the studio where Ga eul was waiting for him.

"My mother talked to me a few days ago and she said that she‟s thinking of turning over the museum to me." Yi Jung disclosed.

His news was rewarded with a beautiful smile from Ga eul. "That‟s wonderful Yi Jung sunbae!" She exclaimed. "I know that you would do a good job."

Yi Jung looked at her and smiled back. In spite of his nervousness, her smile was infectious and he couldn‟t stop himself from returning her smile.

"What‟s the bad news then?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Yi Jung took a deep breath. This was the moment he was dreading for. "She did have one condition though." He whispered.

"What is it Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked curiously.

"She wants me to get married." He said.

Ga eul‟s heart stopped. He‟s going to get married?! She could feel tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. She knew it.

The moment she was dreading for had finally arrived. Yi Jung sunbae was going to get married.

"I see." She said slowly as she tried to stop the tears from falling. Yi Jung must not see her cry.

"That‟s why I need your help." Yi Jung said with a nervous smile on his face.

In spite of her heartache she couldn‟t help but feel baffled with Yi Jung‟s request.

"How can I help you Yi Jung sunbae?" She asked.

Her eyes grew wide in surprise as Yi Jung slowly walked towards her. He looked at her with so much intensity that she

was reminded of a panther stalking his prey. She started to move back as he approached her. She kept on moving back until she hit the wall. With quick labored breaths she watched him as he approached her, trapping her against the wall, until there were only mere inches separating them. With a sexy smile, he opened his mouth and uttered the words that almost made Ga eul faint.

"Will you marry me?"


	5. Difficult Decisions

Ga eul blinked as she stared blankly at Yi Jung‟s entrancing brown eyes. What did he just say? She wondered. He couldn‟t be serious, right? She could feel her heart thumping wildly. Her first instinct was to leap into his arms and shout "yes!" but she didn‟t want to sound too eager so she willed herself to stay calm. They stayed in that position for what seemed like eternity. Ga eul stayed as still as a statue until she recovered her bearings and grabbed hold of reality. This is not a fairytale Ga eul. Yi Jung is not a prince charming who will sweep you off your feet. Ga eul reprimanded herself. Slowly, she raised her arms and rested them on Yi Jung‟s shoulders. Gently she pushed him away from her and thankfully he backed out willingly. When Yi Jung was a good distance away from her, Ga eul wagged a finger at him.

"Are you trying to pull a fast one on me Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul chastised him as she tried to pull a stern expression on her face.

Yi Jung gave her a guilty look. "Did it work?" He asked with a sheepish grin.

Ga eul just shook her head and chuckled. Trust Yi Jung to look like a young child who was caught doing something naughty by his mother. "Don‟t joke about things like that Yi Jung sunbae." She scolded him.

Suddenly, Yi Jung‟s expression turned serious. "I‟m not joking Ga eul yang." He said in a soft voice.

Ga eul‟s face turned white as a sheet as soon as she comprehended what Yi Jung was saying. "You‟re not?" Ga eul asked. Yi Jung gave her a small smile and shook his head. Ga eul opened and closed her mouth several times. She was robbed of speech for a moment.

"Why me?" Ga eul blurted out after finally finding her voice still unbelieving that Yi Jung would make such a proposal.

"Why not?" Yi Jung answered her with a question of his own.

Why not? He‟s asking me why not? Ga eul marveled at Yi Jung‟s question. He had so many girls at his disposal. She bet that he had a little black book filled with countless names of females. Though she had dreamed about it for so long, she never really thought that she would be in this position right now receiving a marriage proposal from Yi Jung- even if it was for all the wrong reasons.

"You can have any girl at your beck and call Yi Jung sunbae, girls who are prettier, taller and more sophisticated than I am. I‟m sure they would die to have a chance to marry you. You don‟t have to settle for me." Ga eul said as she approached Yi Jung.

Yi Jung frowned at her comment. "I wouldn‟t say that I‟d just be settling. You don‟t see yourself clearly Ga eul."

Ga eul blushed and looked away.

Yi Jung sat on the bench and motioned to Ga eul to sit with him. He was lost in thought for awhile as he tried to think of the appropriate words to say. With a deep breath, he looked at Ga eul. "Marriage was never in my long term plans. I‟ve never really gave it much thought until my mother laid this challenge on me. But now that I‟m forced to consider it, I know that I couldn‟t just choose any random girl to be my wife. If I am to spend the rest of my life with someone, I would want it to be with a girl who accepts me as I am and not be blinded by my wealth and status. You‟re one of my closest friends Ga eul and you know everything there is to know about me. I know that I do not have to pretend whenever I‟m with you." Yi Jung explained with a small smile. Ga eul felt warm all over as she listened to Yi Jung‟s words. She was very happy to know that Yi Jung valued her as a friend. She kept quiet as Yi Jung continued. "You know that I‟ve never believed in love Ga eul, but if I were to get married, I would want it to be with a friend. Someone like you." He whispered.

Ga eul was quiet as she allowed Yi Jung‟s words to sink in. She was happy and sad at the same time. Happy because Yi Jung considered her as one of his closest friends and was willing to share his life with her but it also made her sad because in spite of what he was offering her she would never have his heart. Was she willing to settle for this?

Ga eul spoke up after quite some time. "I don‟t want you to lose the museum Yi Jung sunbae. I know how important it is to you. I really want to help, but is it okay if I think about it for awhile?"

"Of course Ga eul." Yi Jung said. "I‟m not expecting you to give me an answer right now. I know that what I‟m asking for is too much. Heck, it‟s your whole life we‟re talking about." Yi Jung stood up, grabbed a stool and settled in front of Ga eul so that they were face to face with each other. "What I‟m offering goes against all you believe in Ga eul. You‟ve always believed in fairytales and I‟m scared that I‟ll be ruining everything for you. You deserve a man who would make all your dreams come true." He continued with an anxious tone in his voice.

"Hush Yi Jung sunbae, don‟t worry about that." Ga eul assured him. "Let me think about it for awhile and I‟ll give you my answer in a few days time."

"Okay Ga eul, but don‟t rush. I don‟t mind if you take your time." Yi Jung said with a small smile.

Ga eul stared at Yi Jung and her heart went out to him. He looked so tired and haggard. She was sure that he has not been able to sleep well during the past couple of nights. He had dark circles under his eyes and his usually kept hair was in disarray. Slowly she stood up and Yi Jung did the same.

"I have to go Yi Jung sunbae, it‟s getting late." She finally said.

"Let me drive you home." Yi Jung offered.

"You don‟t have to Yi Jung sunbae. I want to take a walk and think things over." Ga eul replied. Yi Jung nodded his head in understanding.

"Okay, but send me a message once you get home." He said. Ga eul nodded her head and headed towards the door. As she grasped the door knob, she heard Yi Jung call out her name. She turned to him with an expectant look on her face.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Ga eul gave him a puzzled look. "What for?" She asked.

"For listening and understanding me." He replied.

Ga eul gave him a wistful smile. "What are friends for." She said and she turned around and headed outside.

As soon as she was outside Yi Jung‟s studio, Ga eul took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the cool evening air. There was a chilly breeze that night so she wrapped her coat tighter against her. She started walking on the wooden pathway, her heels tapping against the hard wood floors. She had to admit that Yi Jung had left her with a very difficult decision to make. For years she had dreamed of marrying him and now that very dream has turned into reality. However Yi Jung had been honest and straight forward in saying that he was not capable of love. He probably did love her but she knew that it was only as a friend. She on the other hand had fallen hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him. Would her love be enough for the both of them to make their marriage work somehow?

Ga eul sighed. She was not capable of making this decision alone. She searched her purse for her phone and dialed Jan di‟s number.

"Yeboseyo." Jan di answered after the fourth ring.

"Jan di ah, are you busy tonight?" Ga eul asked.

"Neh, I just got home from the hospital. Why do you ask?" She replied.

"I just want to talk to you about something." Ga eul admitted. "Is Jun Pyo home?"

"No, he‟s away on a business trip. Is there something wrong Ga eul?" Jan di asked, her voice was laced with concern.

"I just need some advice on something. Can I come over to your house tonight?" Ga eul asked.

"Sure, I‟ll be waiting for you." Jan di replied.

"Thanks Jan di. See you in awhile. Bye." Ga eul placed her phone back inside her bag and headed towards the bus stop.

She knew that her best friend had always frowned upon her feelings for Yi Jung and she would definitely hit the wall once she finds out about Yi Jung‟s proposal but she needed her advice and hopefully hearing opposite views regarding the matter would help her make a better decision in the end.


	6. Unexpected Revelations

Ga eul was nervous as the maid ushered her in the huge living room of Jun Pyo and Jan di‟s house. She settled herself in one of the plush sofas as she waited for her best friend to arrive. Jan di entered the room a few minutes later. Her hair was swept in a sleek chignon. She was wearing a matching brown suit that hugged her curves in all the right places and her feet were enclosed in three inch heels. Ga eul couldn‟t help but marvel on Jan di‟s transformation since she became mistress of Shinwa two years ago. She had always been sort of a tomboy ever since they were young but she has since then grown into a sophisticated woman ever since her marriage to Gu Jun Pyo.

Jan di took off her shoes as she reached the couch where Ga eul sat and tossed them across the room. She then plopped herself unceremoniously beside Ga eul and let out a sigh. "Those shoes are going to be the death of me." She complained. Ga eul couldn‟t help but smile at her friend. She was happy to know that in spite of the new and more sophisticated look that she carried, her friend was still the same old Jan di she knew since kindergarten. Jan di tucked her feet under her and faced Ga eul. "What did you want to talk about Ga eul?" Jan di asked curiously.

Ga eul fiddled nervously with her skirt as she thought of a way to broach the subject to her friend without starting World War III. "Yi Jung and I had a talk earlier today." Ga eul started to say.

"And?" Jan di prompted.

"He told me that his mother was thinking of turning over the museum to him." Ga eul said.

Jan di‟s eyes lighted up at the good news that she heard. "That‟s wonderful to hear." She said with a smile.

"There‟s one little problem though." Ga eul continued.

Jan di frowned. "What is it then?"

"His mother wants him to get married first before she turns over the museum to him." Ga eul explained.

Jan di‟s frown deepened. "You mean like an arranged marriage?"

"No, not really, I think he has the liberty to choose who he wants to marry as long as he gets married." Ga eul clarified.

She was becoming a little fidgety as they were becoming too close to the topic that she wanted to avoid. It won‟t be long now before Jan di asks her the dreaded question.

"Who could he possibly marry? Yi Jung had never stayed long enough with one girl in order to establish even a semblance of a relationship in the first place. He‟s one of the biggest playboys in Korea!" Jan di exclaimed.

Ga eul swallowed hard as she gazed at her friend. She could feel her face flushing red. How could she tell Jan di that Yi Jung had asked her to marry him?

"Oh, he did ask someone already." Ga eul said in a quiet voice.

"Really?" Jan di asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "Who did he…?" Her voice trailed off as she saw Ga eul look away guiltily. "No." She said in a hushed tone. There was an alarmed look on her face, letting Ga eul know that her friend had figured it all out.

"Ga eul, please don‟t tell me…" Jan di cried out as she grabbed hold of her friend‟s hand.

Ga eul looked down, unable to meet her friend in the eye. Her silence had confirmed Jan di‟s fears. "Oh my gosh! Please don‟t tell me that you already said yes!" Jan di yelled gripping Ga eul‟s arm tightly that it almost completely blocked out her blood circulation.

"Calm down Jan di ah." Ga eul winced as she rubbed her sore arm. "That‟s why I‟m here. I wanted to ask for your advice before I make a decision."

"Ga eul, I‟m sure you already know what my advice is. Don‟t get married to him. He‟s bad news. You‟re just setting yourself up for heartbreak." Jan di tried to convince her friend.

Ga eul knew that her friend was right. It was madness to agree to such an arrangement. Marriage was a union between two people who are in love and not a one sided affair. But still, she thought to herself, she had never imagined herself with anyone than Yi Jung. The chances of her getting married to anybody else was nil since she had already given her heart to Yi Jung a long time ago. It wouldn‟t be so bad, right?

"Ga eul, Yi Jung is a man who does not know how to love. Would you want to be tied to a man like that for the rest of

your life?" Jan di continued.

"He‟s always been a good friend though." Ga eul tried to defend him.

"Would he stop his womanizing ways once he gets married to you?" Jan di asked as she tried to knock some sense in her friend. She had a strong feeling that Ga eul was already leaning towards saying "yes" to him.

"I don‟t know. I haven‟t asked him that yet." Ga eul said in a quiet tone.

Jan di sighed in frustration. "Yi Jung has been a self confessed Casanova since he was a teenager. Do you expect him to just drop his lifestyle at the snap of a finger just because you asked him too? Do you think he can quit cold turkey just like that?"

Ga eul drew a deep breath but stayed quiet. Jan di‟s arguments made a lot of sense. Oh, what was wrong with her? Her head and her heart were engaged in a tug of war right now. Common sense tells her that she should say no but her heart has yet to agree. If she were to follow her heart, she would close her eyes, throw caution to the wind and say

"Yes".

Jan di looked at her friend. She could feel that Ga eul was struggling. All she wanted to do right now was head over to Yi Jung‟s studio and give him a piece of her mind. Doesn‟t he know how much he‟s hurting Ga eul? Although, she reluctantly admitted, to be fair with him he has no idea that her best friend was head over heels in love with him. Giving her that offer was like dangling a carrot to a rabbit and Jan di was not sure if her best friend was strong enough to resist.

Jan di gave a defeated sigh. "Ga eul yang" She said as she urged her friend to look at her. She could see that Ga eul was tearing up. "Be honest with me. You didn‟t come here to ask for my advice. You‟ve already made your decision the moment he asked, didn‟t you?"

Ga eul started to cry after hearing Jan di‟s words. Jan di hugged her friend and held her tight. She allowed her friend to cry away all her fears. She had to admit, she was afraid for Ga eul. Her friend was willing to throw away her life just to be with the person she loved. Would he be worth it in the end? Jan di hoped so. For the sake of Ga eul‟s heart, she certainly hoped so.

Woo Bin entered the door of the Japanese restaurant that the F4 usually frequented. This time however, it was just him and Ji Hoo who were meeting up for dinner. Jun Pyo was out of the country while Yi Jung was too wrapped up with his problems to even think of eating. He had to admit that he felt sorry for his best friend. He was in the worst predicament ever and Woo Bin certainly did not want to be in his shoes. He knew from the very start, Yi Jung‟s views about marriage were not favorable and now here he was forced to face the one thing that he had wanted to avoid.

Woo Bin spotted Ji Hoo at their usual table and headed towards him. "Hey, man." He said as he settled on a seat across his friend. "Looks like its just the two of us tonight, I‟ve been trying to contact Yi Jung but he‟s not answering his phone. I have a feeling he‟s still worrying about his mother‟s ultimatum."

"I‟m sure everything will work out in the end." Ji Hoo said quietly as he took a sip of his water.

"You think so?" Woo Bin asked skeptically. "By the looks of it, this is a disaster waiting to happen."

Ji Hoo smiled but remained quiet.

"By the way, how did you ever come up with the idea of Yi Jung marrying Ga eul?" Woo Bin asked curiously. "I would have never thought of that."

"Ga eul was the perfect choice from the start." Ji Hoo declared confidently.

"Why do you say so?" Woo Bin asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Because he‟s in love with her." Ji Hoo announced calmly.

Woo Bin‟s jaw dropped in surprise. "Mwoh?!" He exclaimed. "What made you say that? Did he tell you something?" He asked, his eyes narrowing. He would be upset if his best friend failed to tell him something so important such as this.

"No, he hasn‟t said anything." Ji Hoo assured Woo Bin. "In fact, he doesn‟t know it yet."

"Huh?" Woo Bin was confused. What was Ji Hoo talking about?

"Yi Jung would never realize he‟s in love even if it bit him on the face." Ji Hoo chuckled.

"Then what made you think he‟s in love with Ga eul?" Woo Bin asked.

"Think about it Woo Bin, who does Yi Jung run to first when he‟s sad?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Ga eul" Woo Bin replied without even thinking.

"Who does he go to when he‟s happy?" Ji Hoo continued.

"Ga eul." Woo Bin answered again.

"Who‟s the first to drop everything if Ga eul needs help?"

"Yi Jung." Woo Bin replied in a matter of fact manner.

"Who stayed up all night at her bedside when Ga eul got sick?" Ji Hoo continued his 20 questions.

"Yi Jung." Woo Bin said as understanding dawned on his face.

Ji Hoo leaned back on his chair with a satisfied smile on his face, happy that he had brought his point across.

"Maybe he just did all of that because they were good friends?" Woo Bin asked. He was still hesitant with the idea that his friend could actually be in love. But, could he be?


	7. A Hopeful Future

Yi Jung rested his hands lightly on the steering wheel as he maneuvered his sports car along the mid-morning traffic. Last night was an addition to the sleepless nights he had endured since his mom decided to turn his life upside down. He ran his hands through his hair. He was exhausted and every muscle in his body screamed for sleep. He had lain awake on his bed thinking about Ga eul‟s possible answer. All this waiting was killing him. He knew that he had to be patient but he was restless in finding out Ga eul‟s answer. Part of him wanted her to say no. As her friend, he knew that she deserved better than what he has to offer. But there was a big part of him that hoped that she would say yes. Not because it would finally solve his problem with his mother but because he knew that she was the best person to go through this with him. She was his best friend after all.

He stopped his car at a red light and as he waited for the light to turn green, he spotted the huge Tiffany and Co. store at the corner. This gave him an idea. As soon as the traffic lights changed color, he moved forward and tried to look for a parking space. A few minutes later, he found himself standing in front of the massive display window of the popular jewelry store. He gazed at the sparkling gems and intricate jewelry that were tastefully showcased. This is crazy Yi Jung. He admonished himself. Ga eul hasn‟t even given her answer yet. But it never hurts to be prepared- just in case.

With a deep breath he reached for the door handle and let himself inside the store. Once inside, he scoured at the display cases tentatively, unsure of how to proceed next.

"Good morning sir, may I help you?" One of the salespersons behind the counter asked him with a gentle smile.

Yi Jung smiled back. "I was hoping you could show me some rings." He inquired.

"Are you looking for a particular ring sir?" The salesperson asked as she led him to a display case filled with glittering rings.

"Um, I‟m looking for a diamond ring." Yi Jung said embarrassingly.

The salesperson smiled as she took out a tray of fine diamond rings and set it on the glass counter for Yi Jung to see.

"We have different kinds of engagement rings sir. Would you have an idea of what she would prefer?"

Yi Jung was silent for a moment. He had no idea what Ga eul would want.

"Sometimes it helps if you describe her. What are her likes and dislikes?" The salesperson suggested with an encouraging smile.

"She‟s a very simple girl." Yi Jung spoke up after awhile. "She hates frills and ostentatious things. She loves walks on the beach, watching the sunset and gazing at the stars. She likes to curl up with a good book during rainy days and drinking hot chocolate during winter." Yi Jung couldn‟t help but smile as he continued to describe Ga eul. "She‟s a hopeless romantic, still believes in fairytales at her age. She cries while watching dramas and smiles at the smallest things."

"Looks like you know her quite well sir." The salesperson commented.

"She‟s my best friend." Yi Jung admitted.

"Judging from the way you described her, I think she would like this one." The salesperson recommended as she showed him a 1 carat heart shaped diamond ring that was set in a thin platinum band. Yi Jung took the ring and examined it. The beautiful stone glittered against the light. It was classic and elegant, void of embellishments but with a touch of whimsical flair. It reminded him so much of Ga eul.

"I‟ll take it." Yi Jung decided after a few seconds.

"Good choice sir." The salesperson said as she took the ring and placed it inside a blue jewelry box. After paying for his purchase, Yi Jung thanked the girl and headed out of the store with the small jewelry bag on his hand. As he was walking towards his car, his phone rang.

"Yeboseyo." He answered after the second ring.

"Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul‟s voice was heard on the other line.

Yi Jung stopped on his tracks as soon as he heard Ga eul‟s voice. "Ga eul yang." He said as he waited for her to continue.

"I‟m ready to give you my decision." Ga eul said.

Yi Jung could feel his heart speeding up. This was it. The rest of his life was hanging on Ga eul‟s decision.

"Although, I have some things that I want to discuss with you." Ga eul continued. "Would it be okay to meet you tonight?"

"Tonight sounds fine Ga eul. Why don‟t you meet me at my studio at around 6pm?" Yi Jung suggested.

"Okay Yi Jung sunbae, see you then." Ga eul said.

"See you later Ga eul." Yi Jung whispered. He checked his watch. It was only 10:30 am. He still had to endure 7 ½ more

hours of torturous waiting. He was suppose to head to the museum and get some papers done for the exhibit that they will be having at the end of the month but Yi Jung knew that it would be impossible for him to concentrate. He let out a sigh as he entered his car. This was going to be a long day.

Later that afternoon, Yi Jung stared out of the window lost in thought. He was sitting behind his work desk while his mother was rattling off instructions for the upcoming event that they would be having. Yi Jung checked his watch for the hundredth time that day.

"Time will not speed up even if you watch the clock the whole day." His mother remarked bringing Yi Jung out of his reverie. He blushed in embarrassment on being caught.

"I‟m sorry Omma. You were saying?" Yi Jung asked as he straightened himself out and forced himself to concentrate on what his mother was saying.

"Is there something wrong Yi Jung? Your eyes have been glued to the clock since you arrived this morning." His mother commented

"Everything is fine Omma, don‟t worry." Yi Jung assured her.

Yi Jung‟s mother looked at him for a moment but thankfully let the subject drop. Yi Jung let out a sigh of relief as he listened to his mother continue talking about caterers and seating arrangements.

Just as they were wrapping up, his mother spoke up again. "Yi Jung, I trust that you are considering my suggestion?" She asked. She was talking about her ultimatum of course. Yi Jung wanted to laugh at his mother‟s choice of words. He would hardly call it a suggestion given that he does not really have any choice with the matter.

"I‟m working on it Omma." Yi Jung said as he thought about Ga eul again.

"Good." His mother said with a satisfied smile on her face. "I hope I get to meet her soon."

"Of course Omma." Yi Jung answered his mother as he wiped off the beads of sweat that were forming on his forehead.

Yi Jung‟s mother stood up and gathered her purse. "I‟m off to a meeting with a prospective donor for the museum. It‟s already 4:30 pm. Why don‟t you head home and rest Yi Jung. You had your head above the clouds the entire day."

Yi Jung arrived at his studio at 5pm. He placed the jewelry bag on the table and headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. It had been a stressful day and he wanted to look refreshed for his meeting with Ga eul later.

Yi Jung turned on the shower and closed his eyes as he felt the warm water massage his aching body. He tried to relax himself but he couldn‟t since he was still worrying about Ga eul‟s decision. After spending 20 minutes in the shower, he finally got out and dried himself with a towel. He headed towards his closet and thought about what he should wear. He didn‟t want to appear too formal so he finally decided on khaki slacks, a white button down and an argyle sweater. When he was finally dressed, he checked his watch and found out that he still had 15 minutes before Ga eul was scheduled to come. He headed back to his studio and took the jewelry box from the paper bag. He slowly opened the box and admired the diamond that winked and dazzled against the dim light.

He heard a knock on the door a few minutes later and Yi Jung hurriedly hid the paper bag in the drawer and slipped the jewelry box in his pocket. With his heart pounding against his chest, Yi Jung opened the door and found Ga eul standing outside.

"Ga eul, come in." Yi Jung said as he stepped aside to let Ga eul in.

Ga eul walked timidly into his studio and placed her purse on the bench.

"Would you like something to drink?" Yi Jung asked as he helped Ga eul out of her coat.

"No, thank you Yi Jung sunbae. I‟m fine." Ga eul politely declined.

Yi Jung placed Ga eul‟s coat on the coat rack and after a few minutes he turned back to face Ga eul. For the first time, after being friends for so long, they looked awkwardly at each other. Each one of them was unsure on how to proceed with the situation.

"So." They said at the same time. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Why don‟t we take a seat?" Yi Jung finally said as their laughter died down. He led Ga eul to the sofa. After they had settled down, Yi Jung spoke up first.

"I believe you have something to tell me?" Yi Jung said hesitantly.

Ga eul looked at him and blushed. "Before I tell you my decision, can I ask you some questions first?" Ga eul asked not quite meeting his eyes.

"Sure Ga eul, you can ask me anything." Yi Jung encouraged.

"If we get married, how long do you expect this marriage to last?" Ga eul softly asked.

Yi Jung was taken aback by her question. He had never expected her to ask that. He contemplated on his answer for awhile before he spoke up. "As long as you want it." He finally said.

Ga eul looked up at him in surprise.

"The marriage will last as long as you‟ll have me but if you want to get out in the near future then I‟ll let you go." Yi Jung continued. "I don‟t want you to feel burdened Ga eul and I don‟t want you to resent me in the end. If somewhere along the way you feel that you would want a life away from me then I will give that to you Ga eul."

"What about your mother and your agreement?" Ga eul asked.

"She did say that she wanted me to get married but she didn‟t tell me that she wanted me to stay married for the rest of my life. Don‟t worry about it Ga eul. I‟ll deal with her if the time comes." Yi Jung assured her.

"If we get married, would you change your lifestyle?" Ga eul continued with her questions. This was a question that Yi Jung was prepared for. He knew that Ga eul was going to ask him about this.

"There will be no other woman Ga eul. You wouldn‟t have to worry about that." Yi Jung promised her.

Ga eul was quiet for awhile. "I have one request from you then before I give you my decision." Ga eul said.

"What is it Ga eul yang?" Yi Jung asked. He would gladly give her anything that she would ask for.

"I want our marriage to be in name only." Ga eul said softly.

Both of them were quiet after that. Yi Jung understood where Ga eul was coming from. He knew that Ga eul would never be intimate with someone that she did not love.

"Okay Ga eul, if that‟s what you want." He finally said.

Ga eul looked at him and he nervously gazed back. He waited agonizingly for her to give him her answer.

"It‟s a deal then." Ga eul finally spoke up as she reached out her hand for a handshake. Yi Jung reached out and took her hand but much to Ga eul‟s surprise he suddenly pulled her towards him and hugged her.

"Thank you." Yi Jung whispered as he hugged Ga eul tight. Ga eul would never know how happy she made him. He let her go after a few minutes and reached into his pocket for the jewelry box. Ga eul‟s eyes widened as soon as she saw it.

"Yi Jung sunbae!" She exclaimed.

"I wasn‟t really sure if you would say yes." Yi Jung said sheepishly. "But I wanted to do this right just in case that you did." He explained. He opened the box and revealed the diamond ring nestled inside. Ga eul let out a small gasp as soon as she saw it.

"It‟s beautiful." Ga eul whispered as she tried her best not to cry.

"I‟m glad you like it." Yi Jung said with a smile. He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on Ga eul‟s finger on her left hand. They looked at each other and smiled. It was a perfect fit.


	8. Meet the Parents

Ga eul was sprawled on her bed that night. Her gaze was transfixed on the ring at her left hand. Trust Yi Jung to surprise her like that. She never expected him to give her a ring at all. She reached out and softly caressed the glittering heart shaped diamond. Ga eul was amazed on how Yi Jung was able to make the perfect choice. She could never imagine making a better choice than what Yi Jung sunbae had picked out for her.

She was engaged. She couldn‟t seem to stop marveling at that thought. More than that, she couldn‟t believe she was engaged to the one person she longed for the most but never thought she could have. This was like a dream… or a nightmare. Ga eul admitted that it could go either way, after all this was not exactly going to be a marriage made in heaven. She was still worried about Yi Jung‟s Casanova ways but Yi Jung gave her his word and she trusted him.

Ga eul still had no idea how to break the news to her parents. Yi Jung had told her that he wanted to meet her parents tomorrow so that he could formally ask them for her hand in marriage. She was sure that her parents would be happy if not ecstatic when they hear the news. They‟ve been pressuring her to get married for the longest time. Although she was sure this was also going to be a shock for them for they knew that she never had a boyfriend. Certainly she will not tell them the real reason for the marriage.

Ga eul sighed as she thought about her dilemma. She had to inform them about Yi Jung‟s visit tonight. Yi Jung said that he would be coming over at lunch time tomorrow. After taking one last look at her ring, Ga eul took it off and placed it inside her jewelry box. She wasn‟t ready to let them know about the engagement tonight. She‟ll wait for Yi Jung to be with her tomorrow.

Ga eul left her room and headed towards the living room where her parents were watching television. She settled on the sofa and watched t.v. with them for a few minutes as she decided on how to disclose the news to them.

"Omma, Appa." Ga eul finally spoke up.

"What is it Ga eul?" Her mom asked as she turned away from the television to look at her daughter.

"We‟re having a guest tomorrow for lunch." Ga eul said as she fiddled nervously with the buttons of her blouse.

"Really?" Ga eul‟s mother lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "And who would that be?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, a friend of mine." Ga eul said vaguely. In spite of her closeness with Yi Jung, her parents were not aware of their friendship at all. She had kept it from them intentionally because she knew that her parents would pester her more regarding the subject of marriage if they had a particular person in mind. It was best if they thought that she was not close to any person from the opposite sex.

"What‟s the occasion?" Ga eul‟s father spoke up. He too had a curious look on his face. Ga eul never had friends over except for Jan di.

"Umm…" Ga eul was lost for words.

"Is it a boy?" Her mom asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"Omma!" Ga eul exclaimed her face flushing red.

"Well, tell us." Her father prodded.

"Sort of." Ga eul mumbled.

"Huh?" Her mother had a bewildered look on her face. "What do you mean? Is he gay?"

"No!" Ga eul exclaimed in alarm. She gave a defeated sigh. Yi Jung would kill her if her parents thought that he was gay.

"Yes, he‟s a boy." She admitted.

Her mother‟s eyes lighted up as soon as she heard Ga eul‟s admission. "Tell me." She asked excitedly. "Is he your boyfriend?"

A blush of pink stained Ga eul‟s cheeks. "Can we just talk about this tomorrow Omma? I just want you to know that we‟re expecting someone tomorrow."

"Oooh, you‟re killing me Ga eul!" Her mother exclaimed in frustration.

"Calm down dear, no need to be impatient. We‟ll find out tomorrow." Her father assured his wife.

"Alright." Ga eul‟s mother finally agreed. "Is he married?" She couldn‟t help but ask.

"Omma!" Ga eul cried out. Her mother could be so persistent at times.

"Alright, alright, tomorrow then." Her mother finally relented.

Ga eul sighed. Yi Jung will be in for a surprise tomorrow.

It was late in the evening as Yi Jung entered the F4 lounge. He couldn‟t sleep as he thought about the big day he and Ga eul would be having tomorrow. He was going to meet her parents during lunch while he was going to introduce Ga eul to his mother during dinner. He had to admit that he was extremely nervous and he needed his friends to assure him that everything will be alright.

"Hey, look whose back from the dead!" Woo Bin called out as soon as he spotted his friend enter. Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo looked up from the game that they were playing.

"I hope you came with good news." Ji Hoo said with a smile.

Yi Jung gave them a small smile as he settled on the couch beside his friends.

"Did Ga eul give you her decision already?" Jun Pyo inquired as he set the game console down.

"Yup." Was Yi Jung‟s only reply.

"And?" Woo Bin prompted impatiently.

Yi Jung‟s smile widened "You are looking at an engaged man." He announced.

Woo Bin‟s eyes widened. "I can‟t believe she actually did it!" He exclaimed.

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Yi Jung asked, his eyes narrowing, as he gazed at his best friend.

"What he means is that he can‟t believe Ga eul actually agreed to this marriage of convenience. We all know how much she believes in true love." Ji Hoo commented.

Yi Jung‟s smile dropped a little. "I know." He agreed in a soft voice. "She‟s actually willing to sacrifice her life just to help me."

"Maybe it‟s not a total sacrifice on her part." Ji Hoo whispered.

"What did you say?" Yi Jung asked as he turned to Ji Hoo with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Nothing." Ji Hoo said as he cast a glance at Woo Bin who in turn gave him a small smirk.

"So, what happens now?" Jun Pyo prodded.

"Well, I‟m meeting her parents tomorrow." Yi Jung admitted.

"Oooh, this is going to be interesting." Woo Bin teased.

Yi Jung cast him a glance that warned him to shut up. "I‟m actually at a loss. I have no idea how to go about it. This is my first time you know." Yi Jung confided with his friends.

"I‟m sure everything will turn out well. Just bring some flowers for her mother and a box of cigars for her father." Ji Hoo suggested.

"How was it Jun Pyo, when you met Jan di‟s parents for the first time?" Yi Jung asked his friend. He knew that his friend understood what he was going through.

"They were very nice and I might say quite enthusiastic." Jun Pyo said as he shared he‟s experience with Yi Jung.

"See Yi Jung, you have nothing to worry about." Woo Bin assured his friend.

"I sure hope so." Yi Jung replied.

The next day, at exactly 11:30am, Yi Jung was standing at the doorstep of Ga eul‟s house with a big bouquet of flowers in one hand and a box of cigars on the other. He had been awake since 6am this morning pacing back and forth inside his bedroom as he decided on what to wear. He had to admit that it was important for him to make a good impression to Ga eul‟s parents. In the end, he settled on wearing his usual suit and styled his hair just like he always did. He decided that it was best to present himself as who he really is.

With a pounding heart and trembling hands, Yi Jung reached out and knocked at Ga eul‟s door. After a few minutes the door opened and revealed an anxious Ga eul. He was surprised that instead of inviting him in Ga eul stepped out and closed the door behind her.

"What‟s wrong Ga eul?" Yi Jung asked in concern.

"I just want to warn you before you enter the lion‟s den." Ga eul remarked.

Yi Jung gulped nervously at her comment.

"They don‟t know you." Ga eul admitted. "I haven‟t told them about you at all. They don‟t even know that you‟re my friend. I‟m sure that this will be a shock for them so I want you to brace yourself."

"Will your father chase me with a gun if he finds out?" Yi Jung asked as he felt his palms sweating in fear.

"No, nothing like that." Ga eul assured him. "They might have a different reaction though."

Yi Jung took a deep breath. "I‟ll take my chances."

"Okay, don‟t say I didn‟t warn you." Ga eul said as she opened the door and ushered Yi Jung inside.

Once inside, Yi Jung spotted Ga eul‟s parents sitting on the couch in the living room waiting for them. They had a blank look on their faces and this made Yi Jung very, very nervous. Ga eul took his hand and led him inside the room.

"Appa, Omma, I like you to meet my friend…" Ga eul started to say.

"So Yi Jung." Ga eul‟s mother interrupted. She had a stunned look on her face as she rose slowly from her seat.

"Ahhn niyong" Yi Jung greeted as he bowed towards Ga eul‟s parents. He was thankful that Ga eul was holding his arm or he would have collapsed in sheer anxiety.

"You are So Yi Jung, the world renowned potter and heir to the biggest museum here in Korea?" Ga eul‟s mother asked in disbelief.

Yi Jung nodded to confirm her inquiry.

"How do you know our daughter Ga eul?" Her father asked. He had a surprised look on his face as well.

"We met through Jan di sir. She is married to one of my best friends Gu Jun Pyo." Yi Jung explained.

"And you‟ve been friends for a long time?" Ga eul‟s mother asked.

"Yes, we‟ve known each other for the past seven years." Yi Jung replied.

Ga eul‟s mother shot an accusing stare at her daughter. She could not believe that her daughter had managed to keep such important information from her. Ga eul looked down, refusing to meet her mother‟s eyes.

"Why don‟t you take a seat Yi Jung? I apologize for having forgotten our manners. This came quite as a surprise for us. You see, Ga eul never mentioned you at all." Ga eul‟s father explained.

"I understand." Yi Jung replied as he set the bouquet and the cigar box on the table and took a seat in one of the couches.

"What brings you here Yi Jung?" Ga eul‟s mother asked curiously.

Yi Jung took a deep breath. He glanced at Ga eul and saw the look of panic in her eyes. He reached out and took her hand in his.

"I‟m here to ask for your daughter‟s hand in marriage." Yi Jung announced as he tightened his grip on Ga eul‟s hand.

The room was silent as soon as Yi Jung made the announcement. Yi Jung looked nervously at Ga eul‟s parents as they sat there unmoving. Yi Jung‟s heart pounded like crazy against his chest. Should he make a run for it now? He wondered.

After a few minutes, Ga eul‟s mother slowly rose from her seat and made her way towards Yi Jung. Yi Jung had a difficult time breathing. Was she going to slap him? As soon as she was within reach, Ga eul‟s mother grabbed him and engulfed him in a tight hug. Yi Jung was too stunned to react. He was not expecting this at all.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ga eul‟s mother kept repeating as she held Yi Jung tightly.

"Omma!" Ga eul exclaimed embarrassingly.

"You‟ve made me a very happy woman, Yi Jung." Ga eul‟s mother said with a smile as soon as she released him.

Suddenly her expression turned serious. "But, before we allow you to marry her, I want you to know one thing."

"What is it Mrs. Chu?" Yi Jung asked as he swallowed hard.

"We want to have five grandchildren." Ga eul‟s mother announced.

Ga eul closed her eyes and groaned as soon as she heard her mother‟s words. Can the floor open up and swallow her now? How was she suppose to face Yi Jung after this?!

"Honey, don‟t scare the man." Ga eul‟s father reprimanded his wife. He looked at Yi Jung with a kind smile. "Don‟t worry Yi Jung, three would be just fine."


	9. The Mother in Law

After three grueling hours of lunch, Ga eul finally ushered Yi Jung out of the front door to bid him good bye. She had to hand it to Yi Jung who was able to take the craziness of her parents in stride. Lunch, she could say, was interesting. Her parents had quizzed Yi Jung about his life and his career. Actually, it wouldn‟t have been so bad if only her parents did not bring up the subject of grandchildren every chance they could get. Yi Jung had appeared calm and composed but Ga eul knew that her friend was near his breaking point. She knew that marriage was something that Yi Jung has yet to get used to. He does not need to be further pressured with the topic of children. Ga eul would certainly love having children of her own but she wasn‟t sure about Yi Jung and besides she had told Yi Jung that their marriage would be in name only, having children was highly unlikely to happen. Unless she considers immaculate conception that is.

"I‟m really sorry Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul apologized to Yi Jung as soon as they were outside.

"No worries Ga eul, I had fun." Yi Jung said with a smile.

Ga eul rolled her eyes. "You don‟t have to pretend Yi Jung sunbae. I knew you were ready to faint back there."

Yi Jung smirked. "Your parents were very interesting. I never realized how desperate they were on having you married off." He remarked.

His comment earned him a smack from Ga eul on his shoulders. "Ow!" He exclaimed as he rubbed his sore spot.

"That‟s what you get for teasing me like that Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul exclaimed as she frowned at him.

"Anyway, I hope you‟re ready for our dinner tonight." Yi Jung said, changing the subject.

Ga eul paled a little as she remembered about her meeting with Yi Jung‟s mother tonight. "Does it really have to be tonight?" Ga eul asked nervously. In all the years she had known Yi Jung she had never met his mother personally. Sure she had seen her on magazines and t.v. shows since she was a very prominent person in the society but she had never met her face to face. She was considered to be one of the most influential people in Korea and Ga eul wasn‟t sure how Yi Jung‟s mother would react if she found out that her son was marrying a commoner instead of someone of their status.

"Scared Ga eul yang?" Yi Jung continued his teasing.

"Actually, to tell you the truth, I‟m frightened to death." Ga eul admitted to Yi Jung.

Yi Jung gave her an assuring smile and held her hand to comfort her. "There‟s nothing to be scared about Ga eul. Don‟t worry."

Ga eul just nodded. She still could not calm her fears despite Yi Jung assurances.

"I have to go. I‟ll pick you up tonight at 6pm." Yi Jung said as he let go of Ga eul‟s hand and headed towards his car.

"Alright." Ga eul replied as she followed him.

Before entering his car, Yi Jung gave Ga eul another assuring smile. He leaned over and gave Ga eul a kiss on the forehead before driving off. Ga eul watched as Yi Jung‟s car disappeared around the curb. She checked her watch. It was already 2:30pm. She had three and a half hours to prepare.

That night, Ga eul stood in front of her mirror to check her appearance for a thousandth time. Given her teacher‟s income, she could not afford the sleek and stylish dresses that she had seen in the mall. In the end she settled for her trusted little black dress that she had worn countless of times. She matched it with red kitten heel pumps and accessorized it with a silver chain belt and simple pearl earrings. She had also slipped Yi Jung‟s engagement ring back on her left finger. She had curled her hair a little which left her with soft waves to frame her heart shaped face and placed minimal make up to accent her features.

Ga eul stared at her appearance and sighed. This was all that she could do. She hoped that it would be enough to please Yi Jung‟s mother. As she was fixing her purse, she heard a knock on her door. She looked up just as her mother peeked inside. "Yi Jung is here." Her mother informed her with a smile. "I‟ll be out in a minute Omma." Ga eul said as she hurriedly looked at her reflection one last time before heading out the door.

Yi Jung was standing in the middle of their living room waiting for her. He was looking out the window so he did not spot her immediately. Ga eul took that time to study Yi Jung. He was dangerously handsome in his black tuxedo for his own good and as usual he never failed to take her breath away. She still couldn‟t believe that she was actually going to marry this man. Yi Jung turned his gaze at her and caught her staring. She looked away and felt her cheeks warm up in embarrassment.

"You look pretty Ga eul yang." Yi Jung remarked and gave her a heart melting smile.

Ga eul could feel herself melting away in a puddle. "Thank you Yi Jung sunbae. You don‟t look so bad yourself."

"Are you ready?" Yi Jung asked as he offered his arm to her.

"Not really." Ga eul admitted. She was trembling in her shoes and her palms were sweating like crazy.

Yi Jung gave a soft laugh. "Don‟t worry Ga eul, my mother does not bite."

The drive to the So mansion was short- short for Ga eul that is. She was quiet during the entire ride as she tried to calm her nerves. Oh what had she gotten herself into? Ga eul asked herself in despair.

Yi Jung guided her up the steps towards the mansion and Ga eul couldn‟t help but marvel at its size and beauty. It was not as big as the Gu Mansion but it certainly was not an ordinary house. They finally entered the house and Ga eul was astounded at the ornate furniture and expensive art pieces that were tastefully distributed around the house.

Yi Jung guided her straight to the dining room and Ga eul stared at the long dining table that could comfortably sit at least 15 people. Yi Jung led her towards the end of the table where in the table settings were prepared for three people. He pulled out a chair for her and settled himself beside her as soon as Ga eul was settled.

Ga eul stared at the complicated table set up in front of her. Why do the rich people always insist in using so much silverware? There were at least six different spoons, forks and knives in front of her and she had no idea what to do with them. Yi Jung glanced at her and seemed to sense her apprehension. With a smile he leaned over and whispered

"Just start from the outside and work your way in." He instructed. Ga eul looked at him gratefully. She certainly wouldn‟t want to mess up in front of his mother.

After a few minutes Yi Jung‟s mother entered the room. Yi Jung stood up as she entered and Ga eul followed suit. Ga eul stared nervously at her. She was surprised to find out that Yi Jung‟s mother was a petite woman. She had always appeared so tall whenever Ga eul saw her on television. It must be in the way she carried herself. What she lacked in size she made up with confidence and appeared to be the kind of woman that you should not mess around with. She was wearing a crisp white suit with a lacey top inside. Her hair was stylishly cut and her feet were enclosed in four inch stilettos. Diamonds graced her ears and her neck and the beautiful gems winked subtly against the light.

"Good evening Omma." Yi Jung greeted his mother with a slight bow.

"Hello Yi Jung." His mother answered giving him a small smile. "Are you going to introduce me to that lovely lady beside you?"

"Omma, I would like you to meet my fiancée, Ms. Chu Ga eul." Yi Jung introduced Ga eul to his mother.

"Ahhn niyong Madame So." Ga eul greeted Yi Jung‟s mother nervously.

"It‟s a pleasure to meet you Ga eul." Yi Jung‟s mother replied.

Ga eul glanced quickly at Yi Jung‟s mother. Her expression seemed friendly enough. She hoped that she would be

nothing like Gu Jun Pyo‟s mother.

"Why don‟t we take a seat and start with dinner?" Yi Jung‟s mother invited as she settled on her own seat at the head of the table. Yi Jung and Ga eul followed suit and the waiters started serving their appetizers.

While they were eating, Yi Jung‟s mother spoke up and addressed Ga eul. "So Ga eul, how did you and my son meet?" She asked.

Ga eul wiped her mouth with a napkin then responded in a timid voice. "We met through Jan Di and Jun Pyo, Madame So. Jan di is my bestfriend."

Yi Jung‟s mother lifted her eyebrows with interest. "So you‟ve known each other for a long time?" She asked.

"Yes, we‟ve known each other for awhile." Ga eul responded.

Yi Jung‟s mother continued her interrogation "Why don‟t you tell me more about yourself Ga eul?"

Ga eul took a deep breath and started to talk. She felt Yi Jung reach out to hold her hand encouragingly under the table and this made her more confident. "I graduated with a degree in Education at Shinwa University three years ago and I‟m currently working as a kindergarten teacher at Shinwa Preschool. My father works as a mechanical engineer and my mother is a housewife."

"That‟s interesting." Yi Jung‟s mother commented. "Since you work as a teacher I assume that you love children?" She asked.

"Yes Madame So, very much." Ga eul responded with a smile.

Ga eul was surprised when Yi Jung‟s mother offered her a small smile in response. "That‟s good to know Ga eul." She remarked. "Yi Jung, did you hear that? She loves children." She turned towards her son, her smile widening as she gazed at him.

Yi Jung wanted to disappear in embarrassment. He understood what his mother was trying to say. She was no different from Ga eul‟s parents but at least she was subtle about it. Ga eul did not seem to realize what his mother was implying.

"So, when are you planning to hold the wedding?" Yi Jung‟s mother asked. Yi Jung was thankful that she allowed the subject of children to be dropped.

"We haven‟t really thought about it yet Omma. Ga eul just agreed to be my wife a few days ago." Yi Jung explained.

"Why don‟t we have it at the end of this month? This will give us three weeks to prepare. I‟m sure that time would be sufficient for us." Yi Jung‟s mother suggested.

Ga eul‟s eyes widened in surprise. Three weeks?! She was getting married in three weeks? She hasn‟t even had enough time to get used to being engaged yet.

"Omma, don‟t you think that‟s too soon?" Yi Jung asked as he tried to reign in his mother.

"No. I don‟t see any reason why we have to wait any longer." Yi Jung‟s mother remarked. "Ga eul." She said as she turned to look at her soon to be daughter-in-law. "How would you want your wedding to be?"

Ga eul stared at Yi Jung‟s mother. She was too shocked to speak. She couldn‟t believe that Yi Jung‟s mother was actually asking for her opinion.

"Ga eul?" Yi Jung‟s mother prompted her again when Ga eul failed to give her response.

"Oh, I‟m sorry." Ga eul apologized. She was sure she was already red as a tomato. "I would want it to be just a small wedding with family and friends in a romantic place."

Yi Jung‟s mother was quiet for awhile as she contemplated on Ga eul‟s response. Ga eul squeezed Yi Jung‟s hand in fear. Did she just give a wrong answer?

"If you want it to be in a romantic place" Yi Jung‟s mother finally spoke up. "Why don‟t we have it in Italy? I think Paris is too over-rated. There are a lot of beautiful vineyards in Tuscany. We could have your wedding there." She suggested.

Ga eul could feel her jaw drop as she heard Madame So‟s suggestion. Italy?! She asked in disbelief. She was further astounded when she saw Yi Jung smile.

"I think that‟s a good suggestion Omma." He agreed.

"By the way" Yi Jung‟s mother added. "Since you are planning to just have a small wedding, I‟m thinking of hosting an engagement party for the both of you. Ga eul needs to be formally introduced as your fiancée and we could invite all the people that we won‟t be able to invite in your wedding."

"I think that would be okay." Yi Jung agreed. He turned towards Ga eul. "What do you think Ga eul?"

Ga eul could do nothing more but nod her head. She was still trying to comprehend the possibility of actually having her wedding in Italy.

"It‟s settled then." Yi Jung‟s mother said. "I‟ll start making arrangements for the party tomorrow. Now, if you would excuse me, I need to retire to my room now. It was wonderful meeting you Ga eul." She gave Ga eul a smile as she stood up from her seat. "Yi Jung, can you come with me for awhile?"

Yi Jung gave Ga eul‟s hand a slight squeeze as he stood up to follow his mother. As they reached the staircase, Yi Jung‟s mother turned to look at her son. "I never knew you had it in you, Yi Jung." She started to say. "You made a good choice." She continued approvingly, a small smile playing on her lips. "I like her."


	10. A Mother's Mischief

Ga eul was busy cleaning up her classroom after school was dismissed for the day. As she was sorting crayons and packing away the books that littered around the floor, her thoughts wandered back to her dinner with Yi Jung‟s mother last Saturday night. She was surprised to find out that his mother was actually kind of nice. She may be a way bit too formal but she was not rude or overbearing. Ga eul had to admit that her meeting with Madame So had actually been enjoyable. She knew that Yi Jung was extremely relieved that the dinner had went well although he refused to tell her what his mother told him when she had asked him to follow her outside. Ga eul observed that he seemed to be more relaxed and carefree during Sunday morning when he picked her up early so that they could have breakfast together.

Ga eul was also starting to warm up with the idea of getting married in Italy. The shock had eventually worn off and now she was already excited about the prospect. She had googled Italy especially Tuscany that night, after Yi Jung dropped her off, and liked what she saw. She loved the vineyards and the quaint looking villas that she saw and she was looking forward to getting married in one. It was the wedding of her dreams. She was getting married to a man that she loved in one of the most romantic places on earth. Too bad it was all pretend.

As she placed the last book on the shelf, Ga eul turned to gather her things and placed them all inside her purse. She closed all the lights and after making sure that she did not leave anything, she finally left and headed for the exit. As she was walking on the campus, she noticed a big group of teachers and students gathering around an expensive looking car at the end of the driveway. Her curiosity heightened, Ga eul headed towards the group to see what the fuss was all about. Unfortunately, the car in question was heavily tinted and Ga eul had no idea who the passenger was. Just as she was close enough to the car, the car door suddenly opened and a stiletto clad foot appeared. Eventually, the owner of the foot emerged and Ga eul was stunned to find Yi Jung‟s mother looking straight at her.

"Ga eul, there you are. I was hoping to catch you before you leave." Yi Jung‟s mother said with a small smile. All eyes turned towards Ga eul as they waited for her to answer. They all could not believe that Madame So was talking to her, after all they were not yet aware of Ga eul‟s engagement to her equally famous son.

"Madame So!" Ga eul exclaimed. She had no idea what to say. She was not expecting Yi Jung‟s mother to appear in school at all.

"I‟m going to do a bit of shopping today and I was hoping that you‟re free to join me." Madame So told Ga eul.

Ga eul wore an astonished look on her face. Did she hear Yi Jung‟s mother right? She wants me to accompany her shopping? "I‟m not busy tonight Madame So, I could accompany you if you want." Ga eul said as she managed to find her voice.

"That‟s wonderful!" Yi Jung‟s mother exclaimed. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let‟s go now." She said as she looked expectantly at Ga eul.

Ga eul walked tentatively towards the car and the driver emerged in order to open the other passenger door for her. As soon as she was settled, the driver closed the door and headed towards the driver‟s seat. Madame So was already comfortably seated beside her. Ga eul fiddled nervously with her bag strap.

"I‟m so glad you can join me Ga eul." Madame So said with a smile.

"It‟s a pleasure to be in your company Madame So." Ga eul replied shyly.

"I‟ve always wanted someone to go shopping with me. Sometimes Yi Jung joins me but it‟s not quite the same as having a girl for company. I‟m glad I have you now Ga eul. To be honest, I‟ve always wanted to have a daughter." Yi Jung‟s mother explained. "Don‟t get me wrong though. I love my son and I‟m happy that I have him but I‟ve also wished for a daughter for the longest time and at least now Yi Jung gave me you."

Ga eul was speechless. She hadn‟t expected Yi Jung‟s mother to act this way at all. She was already happy that Madame So had actually accepted her but to treat her as a daughter was beyond her wildest dreams.

"Madame So." Ga eul started to say.

"Call me Omma, after all you are going to be my daughter in law in just three short weeks, might as well get used to calling me Omma now." Madame So interrupted.

"Omma" Ga eul whispered tentatively.

"We have to find you a dress for your engagement party. I‟ve already made the arrangements and the party is all set for next week. Why don‟t you give me a list of the people you want to be invited so I could add them to the guest list and address the invitations accordingly?" Yi Jung‟s mother suggested.

"How many people are we expecting for the engagement dinner?" Ga eul asked quietly. She was too overwhelmed with all the information that she was receiving. Yi Jung‟s mother surely works fast.

"So far, there are already six hundred people in the guest list but the numbers could go up since I‟m still waiting your list and Yi Jung‟s as well." Madame So informed her.

Ga eul‟s eyes widened as soon as she heard Madame So‟s words. Six hundred people?! She exclaimed to herself. They were inviting all these people for a pretend wedding? This made Ga eul feel really guilty. They shouldn‟t be spending so much for this considering that this was more of a deal between her and Yi Jung rather than a match made in heaven.

"I know you are surprised Ga eul but this is how it works in the social circle that I live in, that you will be living in as well as soon as you marry my son.

Everybody who is anybody has to be invited and big events are to be expected." Yi Jung‟s mother explained apologetically.

Ga eul was dumbstruck. She had been so focused on worrying about Yi Jung that she had forgotten that along with Yi Jung, she would also be marrying into a society that she was not used to at all. Just the thought of it scared her senseless.

"Don‟t worry Ga eul." Yi Jung‟s mother assured her. She seemed to sense Ga eul‟s despair. "I‟ll make sure that you learn everything there is that you need to learn. That‟s why I brought you with me today. Our first lesson would be about image. It‟s a sad fact but appearance is a major factor in our world and tongues would start wagging if you don‟t live up to their expectations."

They eventually reached their destination and Madame So led her straight to the row of high end shops that Ga eul rarely visited. Names of different high fashion brands were displayed everywhere and the scent of real expensive leather filled her nostrils. Madame So led her inside a shop that had the word CHANEL displayed in front. Without hesitation, she headed towards a rack of white silk blouses and picked out one. She then headed towards another rack and selected a pair of black skin tight pants. She then handed them over to Ga eul to try on. Ga eul reached out for the clothes hesitantly. She really did not want to try them on but she was left with no choice when Yi Jung‟s mother pushed her towards one of the dressing rooms.

Once inside the dressing room, Ga eul ran her hands through the soft silk. It felt so cool and smooth against her skin. The pants, she had to admit, hugged her in all the right places and revealed curves she never thought she had.

"Come out Ga eul and let me see." Yi Jung‟s mother called out after a few minutes.

Ga eul peeked shyly out of the white curtain before stepping out from the dressing room. Yi Jung‟s mother looked at her approvingly. "Here, put this on." Yi Jung‟s mother instructed as she handed Ga eul a black vest. She then instructed one of the sales ladies to bring her a pair of black quilted boots and a cluster of chain necklaces. When they were finally finished with her, Ga eul looked at herself in the mirror and gasp. Was that really her reflection staring back at her?

"Perfect!" Yi Jung‟s mother exclaimed happily. "Wait til Yi Jung sees you." She said with a knowing smile. Ga eul‟s face flushed red at Madame So‟s comment.

Yi Jung‟s mother bought the entire outfit for Ga eul plus a few other pieces. Ga eul did not want to know how much Madame So had spent on just one store.

Just as they were wrapping up, Ga eul phone rang.

"Who is it Ga eul?" Yi Jung‟s mother asked as she handed her credit card to the sales lady.

Ga eul checked the caller id. "It‟s Yi Jung." Ga eul informed Madame So.

"Oh, don‟t answer him. He can survive without talking to you for a few hours." Yi Jung‟s mother said.

Ga eul hesitated for a moment. She never ignored Yi Jung‟s calls but it was his mother who told her to ignore it and she was not in a hurry to disobey her.

Sorry Yi Jung sunbae. She thought as she slipped her phone back inside her bag.

For the rest of the afternoon Yi Jung‟s mother dragged her from one store to the next. She bought Ga eul countless of bags, clothes and shoes and Ga eul‟s

head was swimming from all the new things that she received. In one of the stores Yi Jung‟s mother showed her a beautiful pair of black pumps. It would have been great if only it did not have four inch, pencil thin stiletto heels. Ga eul cringed at the sight of it and politely told Yi Jung‟s mother that putting on four inch stilettos on her was a bad idea.

"Nonsense!" Yi Jung‟s mother replied. "Every woman is born to wear high heels. It‟s just a matter of practice." She insisted. "I‟ll teach you how." She bought the pumps as well much to Ga eul‟s dismay.

By early evening Ga eul was exhausted that‟s why she was very grateful when Yi Jung‟s mother suggested having coffee in one of the cafes. She couldn‟t wait to rest her aching feet. Ga eul checked her phone. Yi Jung had 15 missed calls and 20 text messages. She had a strong urge to call him back but she did not want to put herself in Madame So‟s bad graces. Yi Jung would have to wait for now.

After spending an hour in the café, Yi Jung‟s mother finally decided it was time to go home. Ga eul sighed in relief. She didn‟t think she was still capable of walking another few feet. While waiting for the car Yi Jung‟s mother asked her if she knew where Yi Jung was. Ga eul checked her phone and based on his last text message a few minutes ago she told Madame So that her son was in the F4 lounge with his friends.

"Why don‟t I drop you off at the F4 lounge Ga eul? I‟m sure Yi Jung would want to see you since he wasn‟t able to contact you the whole afternoon." Yi Jung‟s mother suggested.

Ga eul initially wanted to say no since she was dead tired from all the shopping that they did. But then again, she did want to see Yi Jung sunbae, plus she was afraid that he was already furious with her for ignoring him the entire afternoon.

"Okay." Ga eul meekly replied. Her response earned her a big smile from Yi Jung‟s mother.

"Good." She said. "Don‟t worry I‟ll drop off the rest of your things in your house for you. I‟m sure Yi Jung can bring you home later."

Ga eul gave Madame So a weak smile and nodded.

Yi Jung was moping on one of the bar stools at the F4 lounge. He was nursing a drink on his hand but he was too wrapped up with his thoughts to pay attention to it. Where could Ga eul be? He fumed silently. He‟d been calling her the entire afternoon but she never answered any of them. He had no idea where she was and he was a little concerned.

"Relax Yi Jung, I‟m sure she‟s alright." Woo Bin assured his friend as he looked up from the game of pool that he was playing with Ji Hoo.

"Maybe she was busy." Ji Hoo suggested.

Yi Jung gave an irritated sigh. Busy or not, she should have just sent him a text just to know how she was. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin gave each other knowing smiles as they watched their friend sulk.

A tentative knock was heard from the door and all of them turned to see who it was. Ga eul entered the room with an apologetic smile on her face. All three guys had a stunned look on their faces as soon as they saw her. Ga eul looked at them wondering why they reacted that way until she remembered that she was still wearing the outfit that Yi Jung‟s mother bought for her.

"Hi" She greeted them softly.

Yi Jung got up from the bar and walked closer towards Ga eul while Ji Hoo and Woo Bin followed him. Yi Jung blinked several times as he stared at his friend. Was this really Ga eul? He asked in awe. She looked…

"Wow Ga eul, you look hot!" Woo Bin complimented her as soon as he found his voice again.

Yi Jung elbowed his friend on the ribs. "Omph!" Woo Bin exclaimed rubbing his ribs. "Possessive aren‟t we?" He whispered teasingly, a smirk playing on his lips.

Yi Jung stared at Ga eul not knowing what to say. His earlier frustration was forgotten replaced by a certain feeling of dread. This was the woman he was going to marry and he just promised her a marriage in name only. Yi Jung swallowed hard as he felt the faint stirrings deep within him. What did he get himself into? He was really in trouble now. For sure, this little innocent best friend of his was going to test his will power because Woo Bin was right, Ga eul looked hot


	11. If The Shoe Fits

Ga eul gets a crash course on the art of walking in high heels...

Yi Jung stayed unmoving for a few minutes and Ga eul was starting to get anxious. He was mad at her, she knew it! Oh why didn‟t she just send him a teeny tiny text? His mother wouldn‟t have seen her if she did it inside the dressing room or in a bathroom stall. She opened her mouth to apologize once more when Yi Jung finally spoke up.

"Why didn‟t you call me back Ga eul? I was worried." He said. She could sense the hurt in his voice.

"I‟m sorry." She continued to apologize.

"What happened Ga eul?" Ji Hoo asked curiously.

"Yi Jung‟s mother happened." Ga eul replied.

"Mwoh?" Yi Jung exclaimed in surprise. What did his mother do now?

"She was in school earlier this afternoon and asked me to go shopping with her. I didn‟t want to say no to her." Ga eul explained.

"You could have just sent me a text telling me where you were." Yi Jung said. He still couldn‟t help but feel hurt that Ga eul ignored him the whole afternoon.

Didn‟t she know how worried he was about her? He almost begged his friend Woo Bin to ask his men to find her!

"I‟m sorry, I really wanted to but your mom told me not to." Ga eul said repentantly.

"What?!" Yi Jung exclaimed. "She told you not to answer my calls?" He couldn‟t believe his mother actually said that.

Ga eul nodded. "She said that you would survive even if you don‟t get to talk to me for a few hours." She explained shyly.

Ji Hoo and Woo Bin sniggered from behind earning them a death glare from Yi Jung. Yi Jung tried to remain calm even if he wanted to strangle his mother for doing this to him.

"It‟s alright Ga eul. Don‟t worry about it." He assured Ga eul. "By the way" Yi Jung cleared his throat. "You look pretty." He commented as he gazed at her awkwardly.

"Thanks" Ga eul replied as her face flushed red in embarrassment on being complimented by Yi Jung.

Woo Bin tried to choke back a laugh while Ji Hoo bit his lip to hold back his smile. They couldn‟t help it. Their two friends were acting like two high school kids.

"Would you like something to drink Ga eul?" Woo Bin finally intervened in order to save his friend from further embarrassment.

Ga eul turned to smile at Woo Bin. "That would be great Woo Bin sunbae, thanks." She said as she followed Woo Bin to the bar.

Yi Jung headed back to the sofa to wait for Ga eul while Ji Hoo followed close behind. Yi Jung studied Ga eul from afar. He couldn‟t help but stare at her shapely legs and her cute little behind. Stop it Yi Jung! He reprimanded himself. Ga eul would kill you if she finds out what you‟re thinking. However, he still could not get over his recent revelation. He had been friends with Ga eul for seven years. How could have he possibly missed that his best friend was drop dead gorgeous?

Yi Jung tried to act normal as he saw Ga eul headed towards him. She had a glass of orange juice on her hand. She settled on the sofa across him and crossed her legs. Yi Jung gawked. The boots that she was wearing made her legs look really long. He couldn‟t help but wonder how Ga eul managed to look sexy even when every inch of her body was covered with clothing.

Woo Bin cleared his throat causing Yi Jung to glance at him. He shot Yi Jung a shrewd smile letting his best friend know that he knew what he was thinking. Yi

Jung glared back at him and forced himself to focus on Ga eul‟s face instead.

"Did you have fun today?" He asked Ga eul curiously. To be honest, he was quite surprised at what his mother did. He knew that she approved of Ga eul but he didn‟t realize to what extent it was.

"To tell you the truth, it was exhausting." Ga eul confessed as she sipped on her orange juice. "I think your mother tried to buy the entire mall. She bought me so much stuff I‟m not sure if it‟s still going to fit in my cabinet. She also bought me a dress for our engagement party."

"Really?" Yi Jung‟s ears perked up in interest. "How does it look like?" He asked curiously.

"I can‟t tell you. Your mother said she wanted it to be a surprise." Ga eul explained her face was stained with red again.

Ji Hoo and Woo Bin burst out laughing while Yi Jung bit back a groan. What was his mother up to now? She was making him really, really nervous.

"Do you like it?" Yi Jung asked.

"Yes, I think it‟s really pretty." Ga eul replied.

"I guess that‟s all that matters then. I‟ll see it in the party anyway." Yi Jung said with a smile.

Ga eul checked her watch and got up with a start. "It‟s already 10pm!" She exclaimed worriedly. "I still have an early class tomorrow."

Yi Jung got up and picked up his car keys. "Come on Ga eul yang, I‟ll take you home."

The next day Ga eul found herself in the So Mansion after class. To her surprise, Madame So had picked her up after school again. She said she wanted to continue her lessons with Ga eul. Ga eul sent Yi Jung a text informing him where she‟ll be as she entered Madame So‟s car.

She was now standing in the middle of the huge living room of the So Mansion. Yi Jung‟s mother was smiling at her as they waited for the maid to bring down the pair of shoes she requested. Ga eul felt uneasy. She did not have a good feeling about this. Her fears were then confirmed when the maid finally returned with a pair of insanely high stiletto shoes. Yi Jung‟s mother reached for the shoes and thanked the maid. She then turned to Ga eul and showed her the shoes.

"We‟re going to learn how to walk in high heels today Ga eul." She announced. Ga eul‟s heart dropped as soon as she heard the news. "These are the shoes that you will be using at the engagement party this Saturday." Yi Jung‟s mother explained.

Ga eul stared at the shoes while a certain feeling of dread crept up on her. The shoes were stunningly beautiful. It was a gold strappy sandal that had a lot of Swarovski crystals sewn on to it. However, it also had four inch heels and it made Ga eul very nervous.

"I don‟t think…" Ga eul started to say but Yi Jung‟s mother interrupted her.

"It‟s okay Ga eul. You‟re going to do just fine. All you need is practice." Yi Jung‟s mother said encouragingly. "Here, put it on." She prompted Ga eul to sit as the maid strapped on the shoes to her. When the maid was finally done Ga eul stared at her feet. She had to admit that they looked really beautiful but could she actually stand on them?

"Come on Ga eul." Yi Jung‟s mother gave her an encouraging smile.

Ga eul took a deep breath. She did not want to disappoint Madame So. Slowly, she started to stand up. She teetered a little bit as she tried to keep her balance but she was able to make it. She stood there for awhile not sure of what to do.

"You do realize that you have to walk don‟t you?" Yi Jung‟s mother asked with an amused smile on her face. Ga eul gave her a small smile as beads of sweat started to form on her forehead. She took a tentative step forward. Her movements were a little wobbly but she managed to take a few steps without falling.

"You‟re doing good Ga eul." Madame So cheered her on. "You have to keep your back straight when you walk though." She explained as she pushed Ga eul‟s back a little. "Good posture is the key." Ga eul managed a few more steps until she started to get the hang of it.

After a few more minutes, Madame So retrieved a book from the table and approached Ga eul. Ga eul eyed the book apprehensively. To her surprise Madame

So placed the book on top of her head as she adjusted her chin. "Ga eul, I want you to try and walk without letting the book fall." Madame So instructed her.

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped. She wanted her to what?! It was hard enough to balance as it is, now she wants her to balance a book on top of her head? Ga eul managed a small smile. Of course she couldn‟t say no to Yi Jung‟s mother much as she wanted to.

Ga eul stood still for a moment as she tried to get her bearings. When she finally felt confident enough she started to make small steps as she concentrated on keeping the book on her head. She was actually managing quite well until the heel of her right shoe unexpectedly caught a snag on the carpet. Before she knew it she was falling face down into the floor. Ga eul shot out her hand to brace her fall. She closed her eyes and anticipated the worst. She did not expect a pair of strong arms catching her before she hit the floor. Ga eul‟s heart was thudding like crazy when she realized that she hadn‟t fallen at all. She felt two muscular arms holding her tightly. She slowly opened her eyes to see who her savior was and found herself staring into the warm brown eyes of Yi Jung sunbae. His face, at the moment, was etched with concern.

"Ga eul, are you alright?" He asked as he assisted her back to a standing position.

Ga eul nodded as she tried to steady her heartbeat. Right now she wasn‟t even sure if it was because of her near accident or because of the fact that Yi Jung had caught her in his strong arms.

Yi Jung looked at his mother who was smiling at the couple. "Are you torturing my fiancée?" He asked in a worried voice.

"Of course not Yi Jung, I‟m just teaching her to walk in high heels." His mother explained. "She‟s been doing a really good job so far. Anyway, since you‟re here, why don‟t I leave the two of you alone?" She continued with a smile. "We‟ll practice again tomorrow Ga eul."

After Yi Jung‟s mother had left, Yi Jung settled Ga eul on the sofa and bent down to take off her shoes. Ga eul started to protest but Yi Jung shrugged her off.

"Are you okay?" Yi Jung asked again.

"My feet are killing me." Ga eul answered Yi Jung honestly. She had been walking in high heels for the past hour or so before Yi Jung arrived to save her. Ga eul‟s face flushed crimson red when Yi Jung took her foot and started massaging it.

"It‟s okay Yi Jung sunbae. You don‟t have to do that." Ga eul said embarrassingly as she tried to move her foot away.

"Don‟t worry Ga eul. It‟s the least I can do after what my mother put you through." Yi Jung assured her.

"Do you really have to walk on those?" Yi Jung asked Ga eul after awhile. He put her foot down and moved on to the other foot.

"I guess I don‟t have any choice. Those are the shoes I‟ll be using at our engagement party." Ga eul explained.

"Don‟t worry Ga eul yang. I‟ll be there to catch you." Yi Jung said with a smile.

Ga eul responded with a small smile. If only he had been there to catch her when she fell in love with him, everything would have been just fine.


	12. A Kiss To Build A Dream On

Yi Jung paced back and forth inside his room. His black tuxedo suit hung silently on his wardrobe cabinet. He should be starting to get ready for his engagement party tonight but he couldn‟t stop worrying about Ga eul. This will be the evening wherein in she will be formally introduced as his fiancée and she has no idea that her life would drastically change after this. As he was growing up, Yi Jung and his other F4 friends were constantly exposed to the glare of the spotlight and the media. He had long since accepted that his life was fair game to the paparazzi and he has learned to work around it. But Ga eul, his sweet, and innocent best friend, is not used to that at all. She had enjoyed the feeling of anonymity all her life and she had always valued her privacy. How would she feel if she was suddenly thrust into the limelight and her life put out there for everybody to see?

He was starting to regret why he had put her in this position in the first place. If he hadn‟t asked her to marry him then she wouldn‟t be placed in this predicament right now. Why had he been so selfish and thought only of himself? He did not realize the trouble he was putting Ga eul through by allowing her to enter his world. He wanted so much to see her or even talk to her. He wanted to assure her that everything was going to be okay and that she didn‟t have to worry. Hell, she must be scared out of her mind right now. She had almost fainted when she found out that eight hundred people were expected to be at the party that night. Eight hundred pairs of eyes would be watching her and scrutinizing her every move. It didn‟t help also that she was considered a commoner. It was a good thing however that Jun Pyo was first to break that status quo by marrying Jan di and the people were not as surprised as they were the first time it happened.

Yi Jung groaned helplessly. If he could only hear her voice for just a few seconds just to see if she‟s okay but unfortunately his mother had whisked Ga eul off early that morning and had forbidden him to talk to her. Didn‟t she realize that he was going out of his mind here?

With a determined look on his face, Yi Jung snatched his cellular phone and dialed Ga eul‟s number. His mother couldn‟t be possibly there to guard her the whole time right? He waited it to ring three times until somebody answered.

"Yi Jung" his mother‟s voice was heard on the other line.

Yi Jung almost dropped his phone in surprise. He was pretty sure that he dialed Ga eul‟s number. "Omma?" he asked not quite sure if he heard right.

"I distinctly remember telling you not to talk to Ga eul until tonight right?" His mother reminded him.

"I‟m sorry Omma, I really just want to know how she‟s doing. This is going to be a big night for her. I‟m not sure how‟s she‟s going to take it." Yi Jung explained.

"Don‟t you trust me to make everything right for her?" Yi Jung‟s mother admonished him. "Don‟t worry Yi Jung, she‟s in good hands. Now go ahead and get dressed. I don‟t want you looking like a slob tonight."

Yi Jun‟g mother pressed the end button and placed Ga eul‟s phone back on the table. "That fiancée of yours is very persistent. I couldn‟t believe he disobeyed his mother‟s orders." Madame So told Ga eul with a smile.

Ga eul couldn‟t help but chuckle at Madame So‟s comment.

Madame So moved closer in order to examine Ga eul‟s make up. "Everything looks good." She said approvingly. "Let‟s continue with our lesson then?"

Ga eul nodded in agreement. Madame So had been giving her a crash course on the who‟s who of the upper class society.

"Min Jee is a social climber. She would do anything to get her hands on a rich, suitable man. She made a move on Yi Jung once. It was a relief that my son had enough sense to ignore her. Chung-Ho on the other hand is a young businessman. His family owns a huge construction company. He‟s very shrewd and intelligent and good looking as well." Yi Jung‟s mother rattled on as Ga eul studied their pictures and tried to commit them into memory.

Ga eul was still feeling very nervous in spite of Madame So‟s assurances. Yi Jung‟s mother had been nothing but kind to her the entire week. Thanks to her she had finally gotten the hang of wearing those death trap shoes that she was suppose to wear tonight. She had also given Ga eul some pointers on how to interact with certain dignitaries and to shoo away unwanted advances without causing a scene. Most of all she had warned Ga eul on what to expect after being introduced as Yi Jung‟s fiancée and even though she was not looking forward to it, Ga eul was already quite confident that she would be able to manage it. She had realized that it was not very easy to be a future wife of a prominent figure of society but for Yi Jung she would go through anything just to help him.

After five long hours, Ga eul was finally done and Madame So had a huge smile on her face as she looked at her future daughter in law.

"They will love you Ga eul." Madame So announced confidently.

Ga eul smiled back. It didn‟t really matter to her how the other people would react. Yi Jung‟s reaction was the only one that mattered.

That night Yi Jung stood restlessly on the stage that was set on one side of the grand ballroom where their engagement party was being held. He had craned

his neck trying to catch a glimpse of Ga eul but he could not find her anywhere. He however spotted his F4 friends along with Jan di in one corner of the ballroom and their presence had soothed him a little bit. Eventually his mother joined him on stage. She looked elegant dressed in a long black gown paired with blood red strappy stilettos.

"Where‟s Ga eul?" Yi Jung asked his mother as she took her place beside him.

"Impatient are we?" His mother said with a teasing smile. "Don‟t worry, you‟ll see her soon. I wanted to give her a grand entrance."

Madame So took the microphone and started to address the people. Everybody was quiet as all eyes were turned towards the charismatic matriarch of the So family. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen" Madame So greeted the guests with a confident smile on her face. "We would like to thank you for your presence tonight. As you all know, we have an important announcement to share with you. My only son Yi Jung has been recently engaged and we are proud to present his lovely fiancée tonight. I have come to know her quite well and I can tell you that my son is one very lucky man. Without further adieu, I want to present to you Ms. Chu Ga eul."

The lights in the ballroom started to dim as a spotlight was focused on the door of the ballroom. Slowly the huge intricate doors opened, revealing Ga eul standing on the other side. Yi Jung felt

his breath hitch as he caught sight of Ga eul for the first time that day. To be honest, he did not recognize her at all. The sweet and innocent Ga eul that he knew so well had disappeared and in place was a mesmerizing femme fatale that he had never seen. Ga eul‟s long hair was gathered up in a loose chignon on top of her head and she was dressed in a long gold gown with a Sabrina neckline. On her feet were the infamous high heels that she struggled with just earlier this week. The gown seemed simple enough. It was a lot like something Ga eul would pick out for herself until Yi Jung spotted the back or the lack of it that is. Whatever simplicity the gown had in front had been made up with the daring low cut back that revealed Ga eul‟s creamy, porcelain skin. Yi Jung swallowed hard.

The bright lights had almost blinded Ga eul. Her heart was beating a hundred beats per minute as she stood at the entrance of the ballroom. She tried hard not to think about the eight hundred people staring at her and instead tried to keep her eyes on Yi Jung who was standing on the stage on the other side of the ballroom. She had to admit that the mere sight of Yi Jung had taken her breath away. He was irresistibly handsome in his jet black tuxedo and he had a small smirk on his face as he waited for her to approach them. After taking a deep breath, Ga eul started making her way towards the stage while praying to the highest heavens to save her from falling flat on her face. Finally she reached the other side unscathed and Yi Jung held out his hand to meet her.

"Hi" Yi Jung whispered as he grasped her hand with his and greeted her with a smile.

"Hi to you also." Ga eul gave Yi Jung a shy smile.

"You‟re one tough woman to reach." Yi Jung teased her.

"Sorry, I had very strict security." Ga eul teased him back.

Fortunately, her presentation to the society had gone smoothly. The party was already in full swing and Ga eul was enjoying the night with Jan di and the rest of the F4 guys.

"You look so beautiful Ga eul!" Jan di exclaimed as she gave her close friend a big hug. Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo had big smiles on their faces while Woo Bin gave her a thumbs up sign.

"Thanks Jan di ah." Ga eul said with a smile.

"Where‟s Yi Jung?" Jun Pyo asked curiously.

"He‟s just here somewhere" Ga eul responded. "He just needed to talk to some dignitaries." She explained.

Ga eul searched the crowd for Yi Jung. She sought him out among the sea of faces that crowded the ballroom. Just as a slow love song started to play, Ga eul

spotted Yi Jung across the room.

Could it be that the lady is me in the photograph

I‟m afraid „cause it feels so good and I want it so bad

At the exact same time that she spotted him Yi Jung caught her eye and they gazed at each other for a moment from the opposite ends of the ballroom. Ga eul could feel her breath hitch as Yi Jung started making his way towards her.

It‟s just not true, couldn‟t ask for anymore than you

Because you look at me as though I‟m beautiful

Could it be that you want me?

Ga eul held her breath as Yi Jung slowly inched his way to where she stood. His eyes did not leave her face even once. Yi Jung smiled as he finally reached her. "Do you want to dance?" He whispered.

I never dreamed someone like you could want someone like me.

Ga eul nodded in agreement and allowed Yi Jung to lead her towards the dance floor. Ga eul looked awkwardly at Yi Jung as they stood in the middle of the crowded dance floor. She had no idea what to do next. With a smirk, Yi Jung reached for Ga eul‟s hand and rested it on his shoulder while he held on tightly to the other. Ga eul felt her face warm up when she felt the heat of Yi Jung‟s palm against her bare back as he slowly pulled her towards him.

I‟m not sure, but the more that it‟s real the more its right.

Oh what a night, it‟s as though we‟ve been lovers all of our lives.

There must be a God could it be that he‟s heard me at last

Because you look at me as though I‟m beautiful

Could it be the lady is me?

"Have I told you that you look devastatingly beautiful tonight?" Yi Jung murmured causing goose bumps to break out in Ga eul‟s arms as they swayed together

along with the music.

"I believe you haven‟t." Ga eul responded with a small smile as she tried to hide the blush that stained her cheeks.

I never dreamed someone like you could want someone like me.

"I hope you‟re having fun." Yi Jung said as he slowly caressed the crook of Ga eul‟s back.

Ga eul could only nod in response. She was too wrapped up with the sensations that she was feeling at the moment. The heat of Yi Jung‟s palm against her

back, his breath against her cheek, the scent of his perfume filling her nostrils, his low and sexy voice murmuring in her ear, Ga eul was ready to faint from the overload of sensations that she was experiencing.

All the pain and the pleasures the same it goes so fast.

I‟m the girl with the ebony hair in the photograph

So come on let‟s dance, let me have it while I have the chance

Yi Jung pulled back a little in order to stare at Ga eul in the eyes. Ga eul‟s breathing became erratic as soon as she witnessed the intensity of Yi Jung‟s gaze. Without a sound, she watched as Yi Jung shifted his gaze from her eyes to her lips.

"May I kiss you?" Yi Jung whispered softly and Ga eul‟s heart stopped beating.

Cause there‟s another world where there are other girls

But tonight there‟s only me.

Ga eul gaped at Yi Jung. He had kissed her many times before but it was usually on the cheeks or on the forehead. This time Ga eul knew that this was a different kind of kiss Yi Jung was talking about.

Yi Jung voice faltered a little bit as soon as he realized what he had asked of her. "I..mean since we‟re engaged and this is our engagement party, people are going to…" He stammered.

"Yes" Ga eul interrupted him and he was quiet as soon as the meaning of Ga eul‟s response dawned on him.

Ga eul‟s heart was hammering so loudly against her chest as she waited for Yi Jung‟s next move. She was feeling faint and dizzy but she willed herself to stay conscious since the moment that she had been dreaming for, for so long had finally came. With wide eyes she watched as Yi Jung‟s head slowly descended towards her. She did not want to close her eyes for fear that she might wake up and find that this was all a dream. At the last second however, Ga eul finally closed her eyes as she savored the feel of Yi Jung‟s lips on hers for the very first time.

I never dreamed someone like you could love someone like me.


	13. Mixed Feelings

Across the ballroom the rest of the F4 members were intently watching the couple on the dance floor. Each one of them had a knowing smile on his face as they winked and nudged each other. Jan di on the other hand had an astounded look on her face as she witnessed the couple kiss for the first time. Without thinking she started making her way towards the dance floor intent on saving her friend.

Jun Pyo fortunately grabbed his wife by the arm before she could get any farther. "Where are you going Jan di?" Jun Pyo asked his wife.

"They kissed" Jan di whispered urgently.

"And?" Jun Pyo asked as he raised his eyebrows. He couldn‟t understand why Jan di was so fired up with the thought of Ga eul and Yi Jung kissing.

"I have to save her." Jan di pressed.

"From what Jan di? From kissing her fiancé? I don‟t see anything wrong?" Jun Pyo countered.

"I smell love in the air." Woo Bin commented with a smirk while Ji Hoo smiled in agreement.

Jan di looked at the guys in horror. Have they figured out that Ga eul is in love with Yi Jung? Her best friend would never live this down. She had tried so hard to cover up her feelings for years.

"Do you think Yi Jung is finally aware of it?" Woo Bin asked curiously at Ji Hoo. Jan di‟s heart dropped in fear. Yi Jung knows?

"Aware of what?" Jan di asked as she gazed at Woo Bin and Ji Hoo.

"That‟s he‟s totally in love with that innocent best friend of his." Ji Hoo answered her with a smile. He then turned towards Woo Bin. "I don‟t think so yet."

"Yi Jung is in love with Ga eul?" Jan di asked in amazement.

Ji Hoo nodded in agreement. "He‟s been in love with her for quite some time now."

"But Yi Jung is a playboy!" Jan di argued. She had wanted so much to believe that the guys were right about this but given Yi Jung‟s reputation with women she found Ji Hoo‟s suggestion highly unlikely.

"I‟m sure playboys are also capable of finding love. It will just take time for them to realize it." Ji Hoo replied.

"So, you‟re saying that Yi Jung loves Ga eul but he does not know it yet." Jun Pyo asked.

Ji Hoo nodded in response.

"But he already kissed her. I‟m sure he‟s realized it by now." Woo Bin countered.

"I‟m sure Yi Jung‟s feelings are all jumbled up by now but I‟m sure that he hasn‟t yet been able to put a label on whatever it is he‟s feeling." Ji Hoo explained.

"He‟s convinced himself that Ga eul is a friend. I don‟t think that he would just readily realize and accept that Ga eul could be more than that."

"I hope he realizes it soon before everything ends up in heartbreak." Jan di whispered as she turned her gaze back at the couple on the dance floor.

From the other side of the ballroom, Yi Jung‟s mother was standing in one corner holding a champagne glass on her hand. Her gaze was also fixed on the

lovely couple dancing together and she had a satisfied smile on her face.

So far so good. She thought to herself.

She had to admit that she was quite surprised when Yi Jung brought Ga eul to the dinner a week ago. Ga eul was a complete contradiction of everything Yi

Jung looked for in a girl. And she was ecstatic about that. She had always known that her son preferred sophisticated and worldly women who were open to casual flings and one night stands. One look at Ga eul and she knew that she was far from that at all. Ga eul was a sensitive and caring soul. She was the type to take relationships seriously and best of all she was in love with her son. Madame So had sensed that during their dinner. There was something with the way she looked at her son that made Madame So realize that. And she knew, though she was sure that Yi Jung would vehemently deny it, that her son was in love with Ga eul too. It was unfortunate though that Yi Jung had the tendency to be blind when it came to the affairs of the heart. He was lucky then that his mother was there to help him see that he had a good thing going for him.

It had always made her sad to think that her son, Yi Jung, had always believed that he was not capable of love and thus shunned away any possibility of a serious relationship. She had always thought that it was her fault that Yi Jung developed a phobia in relationships after he witnessed her marriage with his father fail in front of his eyes. It had frustrated her that no matter how much she had assured Yi Jung he always had this crazy notion that he was exactly like his no good father.

She had been afraid that Yi Jung would end up alone in the future but now all her fears were put at ease when Ga eul came into the picture. Ga eul was the best thing that happened to her son and she was going to make him realize that if it was the last thing she did.

Later that evening, in the privacy of her bedroom, Ga eul stared dreamily into space as she recalled the events that happened earlier that evening. She couldn‟t believe that she actually had her first kiss that night and it happened to be Yi Jung. She had always known deep down that she was saving her kisses for Yi Jung and she was happy that she waited. Yi Jung‟s lips were soft and gentle against her own and she was glad that his arms were around her or she would have melted into a puddle in front of him.

Yi Jung‟s kiss was sweet and chaste. He had been very considerate and respectful and it had made Ga eul love him even more. His kiss reminded her of lazy Sunday afternoons and walks on the park- unhurried and comfortable. It lasted for 10 seconds but it was the best 10 seconds of Ga eul‟s life. Ga eul brought her fingers to her lips and savored the memory of his touch.

Ga eul‟s phone suddenly rang and she hurried to check who it was. The caller id revealed Jan di‟s name and Ga eul hesitated if she should answer it. For sure her friend had witnessed the kiss and was calling to scold her about it.

"Yeboseyo" Ga eul finally answered after five rings. She had felt guilty in ignoring her friend‟s call.

"Ga eul, how are you?" Jan di asked warily as soon as Ga eul answered the phone.

"I‟m fine Jan di ah" Ga eul assured her friend. She knew that her friend had the tendency to over react.

Jan di was silent for awhile and Ga eul knew that her friend was trying to figure out how to ask her about the kiss that she and Yi Jung shared in the middle of the dance floor.

"We witnessed something very interesting at the engagement party." Jan di finally broached the subject tentatively.

"Really? What is it?" Ga eul decided to tease her friend and play dumb.

"You know what it is Ga eul." Jan di exclaimed in a frustrated tone. Ga eul couldn‟t help but chuckle at her friend‟s reaction.

"Are you mad at me?" Ga eul asked cautiously.

Jan di sighed. "Why should I be mad at you Ga eul? So, you kissed Yi Jung, what‟s the big deal?"

"You‟ve always warned me ever since I said yes to this marriage that I‟m setting myself up for heartbreak." Ga eul reminded her friend. Jan di had always

been vocal about her misgivings regarding Ga eul‟s impending marriage to Yi Jung.

"I know that you‟re a big girl Ga eul and you are capable of making decisions of your own. I‟m sorry if I always came out too strong in my opinions but you know that all I want is the best for you. I‟ve always been biased when it came to Yi Jung but I‟ve also come to realize that you might actually know him better

than me. If he makes you happy then I will support you all the way." Jan di explained.

Ga eul was stunned at Jan di‟s declaration. "I‟m surprised Jan di ah but I‟m thankful quite the same." Ga eul said a smile creeping up her lips.

"Just don‟t love him too much okay?" Jan di warned. Ga eul was quiet. How could she tell her best friend that it was already too late for that?

At the other side of town, Yi Jung was in his studio trying to concentrate on a vase that he was creating. It was already late in the evening but Yi Jung was

trying to keep himself busy with work. He wanted to forget what had happened earlier during the engagement party because if not he was going to go out of his mind. It wasn‟t because it was something too horrible that it deserves to be forgotten. It was quite the opposite actually. He had to get it out of his mind because it was all he had thought about ever since he had gotten home. He had broken his "friends only" rule with Ga eul and kissed her on the lips for the first time. He wasn‟t sure what had brought him to do that but he couldn‟t stop himself no matter how hard he resisted. The feel of Ga eul‟s bare skin on his hand had driven his senses into overdrive. She was so warm to his touch and the sweet, flowery scent of her perfume enticed him even more. At least he had the sense to ask permission but he was also quite surprised when she said yes. They had been friends for a long time now but she had never failed to surprise him. He had only meant it to be a chaste peck but he was not prepared with the sudden wave of emotions that overcame him as soon as their lips touched. Ga eul‟s lips were sweet and supple against his own and he couldn‟t get enough of it. She had been surprisingly responsive as she moved her lips against his own and it had taken every inch of Yi Jung‟s self control not to deepen the kiss. He had wanted to… No! Don‟t even go there! Yi Jung admonished himself. Ga eul was his friend. It was not right of him to even think about her this way. But she‟s going to be your wife in three weeks. A small voice from within him said.

Yi Jung closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. He had given up on finishing the vase. It was impossible to forget. He was sure that Ga eul would be haunting his dreams tonight given if he‟s even able to sleep at all. He kept repeating to himself that one kiss was enough. He had promised Ga eul a marriage in name only after all. But he knew that it would never be enough because no matter how much he denies it he knew deep in his heart that he wanted more.


	14. An Enchanting Evening

Ga eul stared out into the cloudless sky through the airplane window. They were finally on their way to Italy where her wedding to Yi Jung would take place in just two days. It had been a hectic three weeks and Ga eul was overwhelmed with all the wedding planning that Yi Jung‟s mother put her through. Every single day, Madame So would pick her up after school and whisk her to the flower shop, the bakery, or to the designer to have her gown fittings. Her schedule was a haze of various to dos that had to be done before the wedding and she did not even have a moment to stop and breath or even have time to sink in into her brain that she was actually getting married. She had also rarely seen Yi Jung during those three weeks as he was busy wrapping up paper work regarding the museum that needed to be done before the wedding.

Ga eul was glad that the three weeks were finally behind her and with Madame‟s So‟s help all the plans for the wedding had miraculously fallen into place. Up to now she still could not get over the fact that she was having her wedding in Italy. Madame So had booked the Villa de Ulignano. It was a villa in the Tuscan countryside that was just outside Volterra. She had shown Ga eul pictures of it in the internet and Ga eul had fallen in love with it immediately. It had its own private chapel where the ceremony was to take place and the grand dining room was big enough to sit the 30 guests that Ga eul and Yi Jung were expecting. Madame So had not bothered Ga eul at all with the financial aspect of the wedding planning. She had generously paid for every single thing related to the wedding in spite of the protests her parents had made. Ga eul however could not help but google the rates of the villa on the internet and she had almost fallen out of her seat when she found out how much it had cost to rent the whole villa for three days.

As if it was not enough, Madame So had even chartered a private plane in order to fly Ga eul and her family to Italy. She, Yi Jung and the rest of the F4 had taken another private plane which had left earlier that day. Ga eul could not fathom why they didn‟t just take one plane together. Surely the plane was big enough to accommodate them all. Madame So had explained that it was necessary to have two planes because she did not want her and Yi Jung to be seeing each other before the wedding. In fact she had booked a separate villa for them to stay in before the big day. Ga eul was therefore happy that Jan di had opted to ride with her rather than with her husband. Having Jan di near had helped ease her apprehensions a little bit.

Upon their arrival, Madame So had arranged to have a chauffeured limousine pick them up at the airport. Her parents could not stop marveling at all the grand gestures that the So family had done to make the wedding memorable and Ga eul had come to realize that like the F4, Madame So also did not do anything halfway.

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped as soon as they had reached the villa. All the pictures that she had seen did not do justice to the beauty of the place. It was as if she had stepped inside the pages of a fairytale. The hundred year old villa held a captivating charm that had made Ga eul sigh in wonder.

"Wow!" Jan di exclaimed in awe as she gazed at the villa that was to be the site for Ga eul‟s wedding.

"It‟s beautiful!" Ga eul agreed in a hushed tone. Madame So had really taken in to heart Ga eul‟s request to have a romantic wedding. There could be nothing more romantic than this place.

Ga eul took Jan di‟s hand and they excitedly explored their surroundings. The villa was surrounded with a lot of plants and trees and flowers bloomed everywhere. The air was thick with the smell of honeysuckle and colorful butterflies roamed around the exquisite gardens.

"I feel like I‟m Snow White." Ga eul commented as she stopped to smell a red rose growing from one of the rose bushes near the side of the villa.

"And what, Yi Jung is your prince charming?" Jan di asked teasingly.

Ga eul turned to look at her friend with a melancholy smile on her face. "I could always dream couldn‟t I?" Ga eul replied.

A few miles away, Yi Jung was busy checking out his own villa with his F4 friends. His mother was preoccupied with last minute arrangements for the wedding and had sent them off to amuse themselves. The guys had found a secluded spot in a meadow near the villa and had settled down to appreciate their surroundings. The villa they were staying at was near a vineyard and they could see the rows and rows of grape vines being cultured in order to make the finest wines.

"So, Yi Jung my man, how are you feeling? The big day is tomorrow." Woo Bin asked his best friend.

Yi Jung was quiet for awhile as he assessed his feelings about the situation. "Believe it or not, I feel surprisingly calm." Yi Jung finally admitted.

"Really? I was a bundle of nerves during my wedding with Jan di?" Jun Pyo said.

"Of course I‟m also a bit nervous." Yi Jung explained. "But I‟m not as nervous as I thought I would be. For someone who had shunned marriage for a long time, I don‟t feel like I‟m trapped or suffocating at all."

"Maybe it‟s the person you‟re marrying." Ji Hoo suggested. "Would you feel this calm if it was another person you‟re marrying and not Ga eul? He asked.

"I think you‟re right in a way." Yi Jung acknowledged.

Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin exchanged knowing smiles but did not say anything. Yi Jung on the other hand was too wrapped up with his thoughts to even notice their exchange.

"I guess you‟re looking forward for the wedding night then?" Woo Bin teased.

Yi Jung felt himself blush as he remembered his agreement with Ga eul. Was it a wise idea to divulge that information to his friends or would he regret it immensely if he did?

Woo Bin noticed Yi Jung‟s silence. "What‟s the matter man, are you worried about it?"

"It‟s just that, Ga eul and I had this agreement." Yi Jung finally confessed.

"What is it?" Jun Pyo asked curiously.

"Umm, Ga eul requested that our marriage be in name only… and I agreed." Yi Jung admitted. He kept his eyes down refusing to meet his friends‟ stunned expressions.

"She said what?" Jun Pyo asked astonishingly.

"And you did what?" Woo Bin added with a flabbergasted look on his face.

"Are you sure about this Yi Jung?" Ji Hoo asked with a worried expression in his usual calm face.

"It was what she requested. I couldn‟t say no." Yi Jung defended himself.

Woo Bin couldn‟t help but chuckle after he had recovered from the shock. "Isn‟t it ironic that Korea‟s No. 1 Casanova is stuck in this kind of quandary?"

"Could you actually do it? Are you going to stay in this kind of arrangement for the rest of your lives?" Jun Pyo asked. He knew that his friend had never been celibate. Could he actually do it now?

"I have to try. I will try." Yi Jung answered in a determined voice. "It‟s at least I could do for her. She was the one who helped me get out of my mom‟s challenge after all."

The next morning saw a frenzy of activities at the villa where Ga eul and the rest of the guests were staying. It was the day of the wedding and everybody was in a rush to have everything ready for the three o‟ clock ceremony. Ga eul was in her room as an entourage of people helped her transform into the blushing bride that she was.

Ga eul stared nervously at herself in the mirror as the stylist coaxed her usually limp hair into gentle ringlets and curls. She had to admit that she looked nice, okay modesty aside, she looked beautiful. The make- up artist had done wonders and created an ethereal look for her. The stunning wedding gown that Yi Jung‟s mother had flown in from the States fit her perfectly. The mixture of Mikado silk and Chantilly Lace was breath taking and the south sea pearls and Swarovski crystals sewn in offered just enough glitter without going overboard.

Jan Di‟s reflection appeared alongside hers as her friend gazed at her through the mirror. "You look beautiful Ga eul." Jan di said with a big smile.

Ga eul smiled back at her friend. She felt beautiful.

"Are you ready?" Jan Di whispered. There was a look of concern on her face. Ga eul knew that no matter how Jan Di said that she was happy for her she was still concerned about this marriage.

"Ready as I‟ll ever be." Ga eul assured her best friend. She may never be sure about Yi Jung‟s heart but she was sure about her love for him. She knew without a doubt that she wanted to be his wife.

A few minutes before the ceremony was about to start, Yi Jung‟s mother entered Ga eul‟s room.

"Ga eul, you look exquisite!" Madame So gushed in delight as soon as she saw Ga eul.

"Thank you." Ga eul replied blushing at her future mother-in-law‟s compliment.

Madame So smiled lovingly at her. "Before we head down for the ceremony I wanted to give you something. Consider this as my wedding present." She held out a black velvet box to Ga eul.

Ga eul looked at the box in surprise. She hadn‟t expected Madame So to give her something. She had already done so much by preparing this wedding for her and Yi Jung.

"Thank you Madame So but isn‟t this is already too much?" Ga eul said as she reached for the box. She was starting to tear up as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

"I believe I have asked you to call me Omma Ga eul." Madame So reminded her with a smile.

Ga eul looked at the box and opened it slowly. She gasped in surprise as she found a pair of three carat heart shaped earrings nestled on the velvet.

"It matches the ring that Yi Jung gave you perfectly." Madame So commented.

"Thank you so much!" Ga eul whispered as she dabbed the tears that were threatening to flow from her eyes.

"No, I should be the one thanking you." Madame So said. "I know that you will make my Yi Jung very happy. Please take care of him."

"I will." Ga eul promised fervently as Madame So enveloped her in a motherly hug.

Yi Jung was already inside the chapel waiting for Ga eul to arrive. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other as the guests started trickling in. The

rest of his F4 friends stood patiently beside him as his best men. He checked his watch and found out that there were only five more minutes left before

the ceremony was scheduled to start. He could feel his heart thundering loudly against his chest while his palms felt cold and clammy. It has been almost five days since he had last seen Ga eul and he had to admit that he was looking forward to seeing her.

"Nervous?" Woo Bin whispered in his ear.

"Very" Yi Jung whispered back as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

"I hope you‟re not having cold feet." Ji Hoo commented.

"Actually, to be honest, I am more nervous of Ga eul backing out." Yi Jung admitted.

"I don‟t think she‟ll do that to you Yi Jung. I know she‟ll keep her word." Ji Hoo tried to reassure him.

Yi Jung tried to make slow, deep breaths in order to help himself calm down. Finally at exactly three o‟ clock, the string quartet started to play and Yi

Jung‟s mother entered the chapel and took her place where Yi Jung was standing. The rest of the guests stood up and waited expectantly for the bride to arrive. Jan di entered first dressed in a plum colored Grecian inspired gown that Ga eul had picked out for her. When she was settled in her place, the small wooden doors of the chapel slowly opened to reveal Ga eul standing beside her father.

Yi Jung caught his breath as soon as he spotted Ga eul at the end of the aisle. If he had thought her beautiful during their engagement party, this time she was exquisitely stunning. She had totally taken his breath away as she stood there unassumingly and suddenly shy of all the people staring at her.

Ga eul started walking down the aisle with her father as the string quartet serenaded her with an enchanting love song. For Yi Jung everything seemed to move in slow motion. It seemed to take forever for Ga eul to reach him and he couldn‟t help but give a soft sigh of relief when she finally took her place at his side.

The ceremony had been quiet and solemn. When Yi Jung had promised Ga eul that he would be there to protect her and take care of her, he had meant every word of it. Finally, the minister had pronounced them man and wife and Yi Jung turned slowly to face Ga eul. Ga eul gazed back at him with a trusting smile on her face. Yi Jung swallowed hard. The memory of their first kiss was forever seared into his memory and Yi Jung has still yet to recover from the tidal wave of emotions that he had experienced back then. He was afraid that if he kissed her now he would not be able to hold back. But the guests were waiting expectantly for them to share their first kiss as husband and wife and Yi Jung had no choice but to face head on the unfamiliar stirrings that he had felt in his heart.

Slowly, Yi Jung reached out and cupped Ga eul‟s face with his hands. He stared into her soulful brown eyes and felt himself drowning into them. Leisurely he caressed Ga eul‟s cheeks with his thumbs and bit by bit he bent forward to claim her lips. When their lips finally met something inside him seemed to explode and he couldn‟t stop himself from opening his mouth to claim her lips fully. Yi Jung wanted to groan from the sheer pleasure of her lips. He was addicted and he couldn‟t seem to stop. He did not want to stop.

Somewhere within the haziness of his mind however, the laughter and cheering had broken through and he had remembered where he was. He opened his eyes and broke the kiss when he realized that thirty pairs of eyes were watching them in amusement. He sent an apologetic look towards Ga eul. He didn‟t mean to kiss her that way in front of all their family and friends but something inside him had just snapped. Every inch of his self control seems to have gone down the drain where Ga eul was concerned and Yi Jung was afraid- he was very afraid.


	15. Passionate Dreams

Yi Jung let out a groan as he caressed Ga eul‟s smooth and creamy skin beneath the satin lingerie that she was wearing. He bent down to capture her full and luscious lips and Ga eul moaned as Yi Jung trapped her lower lip between his own and sucked it gently. Her fingers slowly crept their way beneath Yi Jung‟s shirt and lovingly skimmed his muscular back. Yi Jung pushed Ga eul deeper into the pillows stroking her lips with the tip of his tongue as if pleading for access.

Ga eul willingly obliged and parted her mouth beneath his as he eagerly slipped his tongue to taste her sweetness. Their tongues met and dueled and Ga eul let out a shiver as Yi Jung lightly caressed the smooth skin of her flat belly.

Yi Jung broke their kiss and he started to rain soft kisses from the edge of her jaw trailing down her long, elegant neck. He stopped to suckle the sensitive

spot at the base of her throat.

"Yi Jung" Ga eul groaned his name as her arms tightened around him.

With out missing a beat Yi Jung‟s head moved lower tracing the edge of the neckline of Ga eul‟s negligee with the tip of his tongue. He brushed his fingertips lightly over her sensitive peaks earning him another moan from Ga eul‟s lips.

Yi Jung‟s breath was labored and erratic as he slowly kissed his way back to Ga eul‟s lips. As he claimed her lips once again he slowly slipped the delicate straps of her negligee from her shoulders and gently caressed the creamy mounds that he had exposed.

Ga eul grabbed hold of Yi Jung‟s face and urged him to look at her in the eye. Her eyes were ablaze from the passion that she was feeling at the moment. As she held Yi Jung‟s gaze she whispered three short words that finally made Yi Jung lose the last shreds of his control.

"I want you."

Yi Jung snapped his eyes open. He was panting and gasping for breath as if he had just run the marathon. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his whole body was drenched with sweat. He lay still in the darkened room as he waited for his frenzied heart to steady. It was just a dream. It was all a dream. He tried to get his bearings straight and realized that he was on the floor wrapped in a heavy comforter. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and spotted Ga eul sleeping soundly on the bed. Yi Jung gave a soft sigh and plopped himself back into the comforter.

Here he was in his wedding night and he was sleeping on the floor. Apparently his subconscious mind did not allow him to get away from what he was trying so much to avoid. As he lay there he recalled the events that happened earlier that evening. The wedding was a success. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a big hit to their guests. Everybody enjoyed the five course meal that was served and all of them had fun dancing the night away.

Towards the end of the night however his mother as well as his F4 friends had practically pushed him and Ga eul up the stairs claiming that it was a good idea to turn in for the night since it had been a hectic day for both of them. It did not take a genius to see what they were up to and he had witnessed Ga eul turn extremely red from the not so subtle hints that they were giving. He and Ga eul had no choice but to ascend the stairs leading to the bedroom assigned to them. As they reached the door, Yi Jung looked apologetically at Ga eul.

"I would like to apologize for my mom and my friends. They shouldn‟t have put us on the spot like that." He said embarrassingly.

"Don‟t worry Yi Jung sunbae. I understand them completely. We are already husband and wife after all." Ga eul replied with a nervous smile on her face. She

was twisting her rings around her finger. It was a clear sign that she was uncomfortable about the situation.

With a deep breath Yi Jung reached for the knob and opened the door to the honeymoon suite. He would have appreciated its high ceilings and the wooden beams that adorned the room if only he had not been so concerned about the sleeping arrangements. As expected the room had only one queen sized bed and he had forgotten to discuss sleeping arrangements with Ga eul.

"I‟m sorry Ga eul yang. It seems like we have forgotten to discuss our sleeping arrangements. Given your request that we be married in name only, I forgot to ask you if you would prefer separate bedrooms?" Yi Jung asked.

Ga eul flushed red as she contemplated on the situation. "I think that we can discuss that when we get home Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul replied. "Right now, I think its okay for us to share a bed. It‟s big enough for the both of us."

Yi Jung took a deep breath and nodded. You could do this Yi Jung. He assured himself. They walked tentatively inside the bedroom and Yi Jung sat on the bed as he loosened his tie. Ga eul on the other hand stood in the middle of the room as she fidgeted with the skirt of her gown.

"Is it okay if I use the bathroom first Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked timidly.

"Of course Ga eul yang, I‟ll wait here outside." Yi Jung replied with a smile.

As soon as the door of the bathroom closed behind Ga eul, Yi Jung plopped himself on the bed and closed his eyes. This is going to be a long night. He

thought. Oh why did he ever agree to Ga uel‟s request to have the marriage in name only? His control was slowly slipping away and they haven‟t even been married for 24 hours yet. Jun Pyo was right. Could he actually do this for the rest of his life?

Thirty minutes had already passed but Ga eul has yet to emerge from the bathroom. Yi Jung became worried so he headed towards the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Is everything okay Ga eul?" He asked worriedly.

"Umm, there seems to be a problem Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul replied from the other side of the door.

"What is it?" He asked in concern. Did she hurt herself or something?

"Apparently, your mom had taken the liberty to pack my things for me." Ga eul‟s muffled voice was heard. Yi Jung‟s heart sped up. What did his mother do now?

Slowly the bathroom door opened a little bit and Ga eul‟s head peeked out. Bit by bit she opened the door further and finally stepped out as she bit her lower lip nervously. Yi Jung‟s jaw dropped in surprise as soon as he saw Ga eul. She was wearing a fiery red satin negligee that had thin, delicate straps. The lingerie had wisps of lace strategically placed in all the right places and it fell exactly at the middle of her thighs.

Yi Jung swallowed hard and unconsciously stepped back. If he survived this night he was going to kill his mother for doing this to him. "Ga eul yang" His voice croaked.

"This is the simplest one I can find. I don‟t think I will be able to wear the rest at all." Ga eul said as she nervously tugged at the hem of the skirt.

Yi Jung cleared his throat. He couldn‟t stop himself from gazing down at Ga eul‟s body. He could feel the faint stirrings starting up within him again.

"Ga eul yang, I think it‟s better if I sleep on the floor tonight." Yi Jung suggested as he tried to focus his gaze on Ga eul‟s face.

Ga eul looked worriedly at Yi Jung. "But you would be uncomfortable Yi Jung sunbae. I know that you‟re not used to sleeping on the floor." Ga eul argued.

"Trust me Ga eul. It‟s the best thing for us." Yi Jung said his voice thick with emotion.

Ga eul stared back at Yi Jung and seemed to sense the inner conflict that Yi Jung was experiencing at the moment. She slowly crossed her arms across her

chest in attempt to hide her body. "Alright Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul finally agreed.

Yi Jung sighed as his thoughts returned back to the present. Reluctantly he slowly stood up, careful not to wake Ga eul, and headed towards the bathroom.

Damn that dream, looks like he was in for a very, very cold shower.


	16. A Honeymoon in Italy

The early morning sun shone brightly through the window as Ga eul slowly opened her eyes. It took her a minute to get re-accustomed to her unfamiliar surroundings. She was in Italy and she was finally and officially married to Yi Jung sunbae. With a small smile on her face, she held up her left hand and admired the plain platinum wedding band that graced her finger along with the engagement ring that Yi Jung had given her. She was Yi Jung‟s wife. Her brain has yet to wrap itself around that idea. It seemed so surreal and Ga eul felt as if she was living a fairytale.

It had been her wedding night last night although she could hardly consider it one considering that she had slept alone on the bed. Yi Jung had insisted that he sleep on the floor. Ga eul blushed as she remembered the way Yi Jung had gazed at her when she stepped out of the bathroom wearing the nightgown his mother had packed for her. His gaze had held so much longing that Ga eul had actually felt sexy for the first time in her life. For one crazy moment she had contemplated on telling Yi Jung to forget about her request of having a marriage in name only. She had wanted to know how it felt like to be wrapped around his arms to feel his lips on hers once again.

But it was Yi Jung who requested that they slept separately and she was too embarrassed to insist that it was okay to share the bed with him. There was so much conflict shown on his handsome face that she did not want to further add to his burden. She had just realized how difficult her request must be for Yi Jung sunbae. He was a ladies‟ man for most of his life and he was never left wanting when it came to sexual encounters with women. And then she had asked him a marriage in name only with the full expectation of having his complete loyalty and fidelity only to her. It was like asking him to remain celibate for the rest of his life. Could Yi Jung actually do that? Ga eul wondered.

With a sigh, she slowly got out of bed and spotted Yi Jung still asleep on the floor. He must have tossed aside the bed covers during the night as he lay down on the comforter that served as his

mattress. Ga eul tiptoed towards him keeping quiet as possible so as not to wake him. She stopped at the edge of the comforter and stooped down in order to watch him sleep. He looked so relaxed and peaceful and he looked even more handsome than she ever imagined. She reached out and shook his shoulders a little bit as she coaxed him to wake up.

"It‟s time to wake up Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul softly whispered.

Yi Jung did not stir. Ga eul finally decided to let him sleep in a little more but as she started to shift from her position Yi Jung‟s arm suddenly shot out and pulled her towards him. Ga eul‟s heart started to double up in speed as she found herself half on top of him. His arms were enclosed around her holding her close.

Ga eul glanced at his face and saw that his eyes were still closed.

"Five more minutes." Yi Jung murmured softly.

Ga eul stayed as still as a statue. Her heart was thudding crazily against her chest as she lay there wrapped tightly in Yi Jung‟s embrace. For the next fifteen minutes Ga eul stayed exactly where she was. She did not move an inch and contented herself in listening to Yi Jung‟s even breathing and watching his handsome face that was only a few inches from her. She had never seen Yi Jung this close before and she tried to memorize every bit of his countenance- his long lashes, his aristocratic nose and the tempting lips that had just kissed her last night after the wedding. The kiss that they shared right after the ceremony was a surprise for her. She had not been expecting the intensity of the kiss and she had almost forgotten where they were. All that mattered was Yi Jung‟s lips caressing her own and ever since then she had longed for Yi Jung to kiss her the same way again. It was totally different from the kiss that they had first shared during the engagement party. If their first kiss had reminded her of lazy Sunday afternoons, their second kiss was like a flamenco dance- hot, passionate and fiery. It was like he had branded her as his own with that kiss and Ga eul had no complaints.

With a soft smile on her face, Ga eul could not stop herself from reaching out and caressing Yi Jung‟s lips lightly with her fingertips. She froze as she felt him stir and watched wide eyed as Yi Jung finally opened his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment. Ga eul held her breath her fingers still touching his lips. Yi Jung gave Ga eul a small smile as he softly kissed Ga eul‟s fingers.

"Good morning" Yi Jung whispered.

"Good morning" Ga eul whispered back.

"Did you sleep well?" Yi Jung asked. They did not budge from their position. It seems as if both of them were perfectly contented to be wrapped in each

others‟ arms.

Ga eul just nodded as she gazed shyly at him. Now that he was awake she was not as bold as she was earlier.

"Did you sleep well also Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked him as well.

Yi Jung winced a little as he shifted slightly. "My back hurts a bit." He confessed.

Ga eul frowned when she heard his response. "I told you that it was okay to share the bed with me Yi Jung sunbae."

Yi Jung stared in amusement at Ga eul. His sweet and naïve best friend did not realize that sleeping in bed beside her would have been more torture than

sleeping on the hard ground. If only she knew how just having her in his arms right now was wrecking havoc on his libido. Before he could completely lose

control, Yi Jung reluctantly disentangled himself from Ga eul. If he had his way, he would have wanted to stay in bed with her all day.

"Time to get up Ga eul, we have a busy day today." Yi Jung said as he pushed himself into a standing position.

Ga eul looked at him quizzically. "What are we doing Yi Jung sunbae?"

"It‟s a surprise." Yi Jung replied mysteriously causing Ga eul‟s curiosity to heighten. She gave him a small pout. Yi Jung smiled at her with amusement.

"That‟s not going to work Ga eul yang." He said with a smirk. "You‟ll find out soon enough."

After an hour Yi Jung and Ga eul were finally dressed and ready to go. Yi Jung took Ga eul‟s hand and led her down the stairs.

"Where are we going Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked for the nth time. Yi Jung just looked at her with a smile but did not say anything. He led her to the kitchen

where a picnic basket was sitting on top of the counter. Yi Jung spoke to the chef for awhile in fluent Italian before reaching out for the basket along with the

picnic blanket that was nestled beside it.

"We‟re going on a picnic?" Ga eul asked in surprise. "What about our guests?" She had noted that the villa seemed to be completely deserted.

"Omma had taken all of them to Venice. They will be staying there for two more days before heading back to Korea." Yi Jung explained.

"Venice!" Ga eul exclaimed in surprise. "Each and every one of them?" Ga eul asked in disbelief.

"Yup" Yi Jung replied as if it was a normal everyday occurrence.

"Let me get this straight." Ga eul clarified still not believing what she heard. "Your mother treated our thirty guests to Venice?"

Yi Jung just nodded. He couldn‟t understand why Ga eul was so surprised about it. Ga eul‟s head was still spinning with the news. Madame So certainly pulled

all the stops for this wedding.

"I don‟t understand why they have to leave." Ga eul argued. "Isn‟t this place beautiful enough for them?"

"I don‟t think that‟s the point Ga eul." Yi Jung whispered with an embarrassed smile.

Ga eul looked at Yi Jung with a bewildered expression for a moment until comprehension finally dawned on her. Madame So had taken every single one of their

guests which means that she and Yi Jung were all alone.

"Does that mean that…" Ga eul started to ask.

"The villa is all ours." Yi Jung finished her sentence with a smirk on his face.

Ga eul‟s face turned white as a sheet upon hearing the news. Here she was in a romantic villa in Italy all alone with Yi Jung sunbae. That doesn‟t seem to

bode well with her and her resolve to make this marriage in name only.

"Is there something wrong Ga eul yang?" Yi Jung asked in concern as he noticed Ga eul‟s pale face.

"No, nothing‟s wrong Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul assured him. "Let‟s go!" She exclaimed as she took his hand and led him out of the villa.

Yi Jung had brought Ga eul to a small secluded garden just behind the villa. They were a good distance away from the actual villa so the place appeared to be

deserted. Yi Jung set the basket

down as he arranged the blanket on the soft grass. Ga eul on the other hand stood marveling at her surroundings. She couldn‟t believe such a place could

actually exist.

"Are you going to just stand there the whole day Ga eul?" Yi Jung teased her.

Ga eul glanced at Yi Jung and found him sitting on the picnic blanket. A wide variety of cheeses and wines were arranged artfully beside him. She approached the blanket as she eyed the food hungrily. "It looks delicious Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul commented and settled herself at the other side of the blanket. Yi Jung picked up a small cube of cheese and offered it to Ga eul.

"Hmmm" Ga eul sighed as she enjoyed the creaminess and tanginess of the cheese.

"You have to eat it together with this one." Yi Jung said as he offered her a glass of wine. Ga eul took it willingly and brought it to her lips. The wine was

delightful and it complemented the taste of the cheese very well.

Yi Jung and Ga eul enjoyed their lunch peacefully and after they had finished they lay down side by side on the picnic blanket and watched the sky overhead.

"It‟s so peaceful here." Ga eul commented with a smile. Her eyes were closed as she enjoyed the feel of the gentle breeze against her skin.

"This is one of my favorite places." Yi Jung remarked as he watched a flock of birds fly by.

"You‟ve been here before?" Ga eul asked curiously as she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Yi Jung.

"My mother used to bring me here all the time when I was a child. Why do you think I learned to speak Italian fluently?" Yi Jung replied as he turned his head to gaze at Ga eul also.

"How many languages do you know?" Ga eul asked. They have known each other for so long but they never had the chance to discuss this.

"Just four actually" Yi Jung answered. "I also know French quite well. After Italy, France was my mother‟s favorite city. I‟ll take you there sometime." Yi Jung said with a smile.

Ga eul blushed at his comment. She had to admit that it felt good discussing the future with him. The fact that he was discussing future plans with her made her feel warm all over.

Yi Jung glanced up at the sky and frowned a bit. Ga eul looked up as well and found out what made Yi Jung so concerned. Dark clouds were coming in fast and

rain was imminent. "I think we have to go Ga eul." Yi Jung said as he pushed himself into a standing position. Ga eul followed suit. They hurriedly fixed their

things but unfortunately they were not fast enough. Drops of rain were starting to fall just as Yi Jung was closing the basket. Sheets of rain started to pour

down after awhile and Yi Jung and Ga eul were drenched in mere seconds. Yi Jung grabbed Ga eul‟s hand and started to run. The villa was still a long way off so Yi Jung led Ga eul under the shade of a very huge oak tree.

They stayed there for awhile, the tree serving as temporary shelter for them, until the rains subside. Ga eul held her arms across her body as she shivered from the cold. Yi Jung noticed her shudder and thought of a way to keep her warm. Both of them were drenched to the core and the picnic blanket that he was carrying was too wet to even offer her any warmth. Eventually he decided to do the next best thing. He reached out to Ga eul and enveloped her in an embrace and the heat emanating from their bodies served as their protection from the cold.

Ga eul closed her eyes as she savored the feel of Yi Jung‟s arms around her. She trembled a bit but she was pretty sure that it was not because of the cold at all. Ga eul rested her head against Yi Jung‟s shoulder and placed her arms lightly at his back.

Yi Jung on the other hand was summoning every ounce of his control in order to prevent him from crushing Ga eul‟s body against his. The heat emanating from her body was like an ice pick slowly chipping away the blocks of his self control. He pulled back a little and glanced at her sweet face. Void of make up, she looked fresh as a daisy. Not even the clumps of hair clinging to the sides of her face could destroy her innocent beauty. Before he knew it, something deep inside him had finally snapped and his head started to descend down towards her.

A moan was heard as soon as their lips met. Yi Jung was not sure if it came from him or from Ga eul. All of his thoughts were fuzzy at the moment. All he could focus on was the feel of Ga eul‟s lips on him. He felt her arms tighten around him and he finally gave in to the urge of tasting her. He slipped out his tongue and caressed her lips. Ga eul‟s mouth parted immediately giving him access. Yi Jung delved into the sweetness of her mouth and their tongues finally met. He slowly cupped Ga eul‟s neck with his hand as he tasted her further while Ga eul clutched tightly at the lapels of his shirt.

The rain had increased in strength making it impossible to see anything at all but beneath the leafy boughs of the oak tree Yi Jung and Ga eul clung into each other, the outside world was lost to them, as they shared their first real kiss.


	17. A Romantic Interlude

Ga eul clung to Yi Jung like there was no tomorrow. She was on fire and she could not get enough of him. The first time that his tongue had touched her own she had almost fainted from the sheer intensity of emotions going through her. The urgency of Yi Jung‟s lips against her own overwhelmed her with so much ferocity. She just took and took whatever he gave her and she gave back everything that she could.

She never knew that a kiss could be like this. This was even more than she had expected in her wildest dreams. Their kiss was like slow burning fire that was slowly increasing in intensity threatening to consume her whole. His silky tongue had continued to explore the secrets of her mouth and her hands had slowly crept up to wound themselves into Yi Jung‟s hair. She had felt Yi Jung‟s hands glide down her back and slip inside her blouse. Ga eul moaned against his mouth as she felt the heat of Yi Jung‟s hand against her bare back. She wanted more. If Yi Jung took her now under this oak tree she would have gladly gave herself to him.

Yi Jung finally broke the kiss and Ga eul had instantly missed the feel of his mouth against hers. He rested his forehead against her own as both of them panted heavily trying to catch their breaths.

"Ga eul" Yi Jung whispered. Ga eul knew that he was going to apologize.

Ga eul brought her fingers to Yi Jung‟s lips to stop him from saying anything more. "Shh" She whispered. She did not want to hear his apologies. He had nothing to apologize about. They held each other as they waited for their heartbeats to settle down. The rain had finally slowed down to a drizzle and the sky was starting to brighten up again.

"I think it‟s time for us to go." Yi Jung whispered as the rain finally stopped. Ga eul did not want to leave the bubble that they had created but she knew that they had to get back to reality inevitably. Yi Jung released her and bent down to grab the basket and the blanket. He then reached out and took her hand and they slowly made their way back to the villa.

Back at the villa, they immediately headed towards their room to change as the down pour had left them completely soaked from head to toe. Ga eul went to the bathroom first as Yi Jung was left in the bedroom to contemplate on what just happened between them. He headed towards the window to stare at the beautiful scenery outside. He was getting quite nervous as the kisses that he had shared with Ga eul were getting too intense for his own comfort. He had made a promise that he would honor her decision to have the marriage in name only but he is finding out much to his dismay how difficult it was to follow through.

Ga eul finally emerged from the bathroom newly showered and freshly dressed. She was wearing a flower printed sundress that reminded Yi Jung of flower fields during spring time. Her delicate feet were enclosed in wedge sandals that had silk ribbons tied around her ankles.

"It‟s your turn Yi Jung sunbae." Ga eul said with a smile.

After both of them had finished freshening up Yi Jung had taken Ga eul out for a drive in the Mercedes convertible that he had rented out during their entire stay in Italy. Ga eul had kept asking where they were going but Yi Jung had kept his mouth shut.

After driving for thirty minutes they arrived at a small family own vineyard that was situated just outside Volterra. Ga eul looked at Yi Jung with a perplexed expression on her face as if asking what was going on but he only responded with a small smile. They got out of the car and headed towards the front door. Yi Jung knocked softly and they waited until an old woman opened the door for them. Yi Jung spoke to the woman completely in Italian and Ga eul had no idea what they were talking about. She watched as the woman responded to him, a smile lighting up her wrinkled face as she invited them inside.

Once inside Yi Jung leaned over to whisper to her an explanation. "This vineyard is owned by the Bianchi family. They are one of the oldest families here who

still make wine the old fashioned way. I wanted to show you how wine was made before, way before the huge companies got in the way."

Ga eul eyes sparkled with interest. This was something completely new for her and she couldn‟t wait to experience it.

As they entered the house, the old woman turned to Yi Jung and asked inquiringly "Sei sposato?"

Yi Jung answered with a gentle smile "Si signora" he replied.

The old woman‟s smile widened as she gazed lovingly at Yi Jung and Ga eul. "Belle coppie" she commented causing Yi Jung to blush.

As the woman walked ahead, Ga eul leaned towards Yi Jung and asked curiously "What did she say?"

"She asked if we were married and I said yes." Yi Jung responded.

"What did she say before she left?" Ga eul pressed further. She wanted to know what caused Yi Jung to blush.

Yi Jung gave her an embarrassed smile "She said we were a beautiful couple." He replied.

Ga eul couldn‟t help but blush herself. Yi Jung took her hand and they followed the old woman who had stepped out of the back door. For the next forty

minutes, the woman took them on a tour of the vineyard as well as the wine cellar where they kept their wines. The woman, who had introduced herself as

Giulana Bianchi, had spoken non-stop in straight Italian. Ga eul assumed that she was explaining to them the wine making process. Fortunately, Yi Jung was

there to translate most of Giulana‟s utterances to her.

As they were about to descend to the wine cellars, a young man who looked like he was around their age approached Giulana. He appeared to have asked

something to her in Italian. Giulana replied and the only words that Ga eul understood were her name and Yi Jung‟s. Ga eul inferred that the man was

probably asking who they were. Giulana then turned to them and introduced the man as Niccolo Bianchi. According to Yi Jung he was Giulana‟s son. Ga eul

smiled at him and said hi but to her surprise Niccolo took her hand and kissed it softly.

"Siete la piu bella ragazza che ho visto" He said to her in Italian. Ga eul had no idea what he had said but she did notice Yi Jung frown a little bit. Fortunately,

Niccolo did not stay long and had said goodbye after the introductions were made. As they were going down the wine cellar Ga eul

had been convincing Yi Jung to tell her what Niccolo had told her. Yi Jung appeared to be quite wary in translating Niccolo‟s comment to her. But eventually

due to Ga eul‟s persistence Yi Jung finally gave in. In a reluctant tone, Yi Jung explained to her that Niccolo said that she was the most beautiful girl he had

ever seen. Ga eul couldn‟t help but smile and feel flattered which earned her an angry scowl from Yi Jung.

After their tour of the wine cellars, Giulana brought them back outside where she showed them a huge well-like structure. It wasn‟t deep enough to be

considered a well though. While Ga eul was wondering what the structure was for, a couple of men carrying baskets of grapes approached it and started

dumping the grapes inside. She watched in fascination while basket after basket of grapes was dumped inside and she had finally requested Yi Jung to ask Giulana what they were doing. They spoke quietly for awhile until Yi Jung finally explained to her that this was their way of crushing the grapes. All of the

grapes were placed inside and they all go in and stomp on them with their feet.

"That sounds fun!" Ga eul exclaimed with a smile.

Giulana asked her something in Italian and Yi Jung said that Giulana was asking if she wanted to try it out.

Ga eul‟s eyes lighted up in excitement. "Can we really do it Yi Jung sunbae?" Ga eul asked excitedly.

Yi Jung looked at her in amusement. "We can do it if you really want to Ga eul." He replied.

Ga eul nodded enthusiastically and Yi Jung could not help but laugh at her enthusiasm.

They took off their shoes and washed their feet and Yi Jung helped Ga eul enter the structure. Ga eul squirmed as soon as her feet touched the grapes.

"They feel so squishy and slimy." She commented. Yi Jung laughed as he stood beside her. Giulana instructed that they should stomp hard and fast and before

long Ga eul and Yi Jung had developed a rhythm of their own. Ga eul had never felt so much fun in her life and Yi Jung was all smiles as well.

As the grapes were being crushed, the texture of the grapes had turned slippery and before she knew it Ga eul suddenly lost her footing and slipped. In a

flash Yi Jung reached out and caught her saving her from bathing herself in grape juice. Ga eul clutched Yi Jung‟s arm tightly. Yi Jung held her close and Ga

eul‟s heart started to beat fast once again as soon as she realized their proximity.

The other people around them were all smiles as they watched Yi Jung and Ga eul. Softly they started chanting "Bacila" over and over again until their voices

became louder and more distinct.

Ga eul stared at Yi Jung with a confused look on her face. "What are they saying?" Ga eul asked softly.

Yi Jung gave her a crooked smile as he gazed down at her "They‟re telling me to kiss you." He murmured.

Ga eul‟s heart doubled up in speed. "What are you going to do about it then?" She asked boldly. She remembered the kiss that they had shared only a few hours ago.

Yi Jung‟s grin widened and Ga eul saw a flicker of desire in his eyes. He whispered huskily "I just might take them up on it."


	18. Anima Gemella

Ga eul held her breath as Yi Jung continued to gaze at her. The chants of the people around them had faded in the background. Kiss me! Ga eul screamed in her mind. A sexy smirk played on Yi Jung‟s lips as he finally bent down and claimed Ga eul‟s lips with his. Ga eul released a contented sigh as soon as she felt Yi Jung‟s lips touch hers. The kiss had started out innocent with Yi Jung playfully nibbling on her lips. Finally Yi Jung had deepened the kiss and Ga eul held on to him for dear life. Her knees felt like jelly and she would have buckled down if Yi Jung was not holding her tightly.

Ga eul was out of breath as soon as Yi Jung released her. The sounds of the people cheering and clapping came back in full force as if someone had released the mute button. Ga eul blushed at the thought of showing that much public display of affection but she couldn‟t help but feel happy about the kiss. Their kisses were developing a certain kind of familiarity between them.

It was almost early evening when Yi Jung and Ga eul bid goodbye to Giulana and the rest of the people in the vineyard. Ga eul had extremely enjoyed their trip and she would miss all of the people that she had met. They were very accommodating and they made her and Yi Jung feel right at home.

Yi Jung had gone ahead to the car and Ga eul was left to say goodbye to Giulana. "Ciao" Ga eul said with a smile and leaned forward to give Giulana a kiss on the cheek. It was the only Italian word that Ga eul knew which Yi Jung had taught her. Giulana gave her a motherly smile and said goodbye as well. As Ga eul turned to go, Giulana reached out and touched her arm. Ga eul looked back at her in surprise. Giulana pointed to Yi Jung who was on his way to their car and looked back at Ga eul as she placed her hand on her heart.

"anima gemella" She whispered to Ga eul with a smile. Ga eul smiled back at her although she had no idea what the older woman had said. After a last goodbye, Ga eul turned and followed Yi Jung to the car.

Back at the villa Yi Jung and Ga eul enjoyed a succulent dinner at the grand dining area. Ga eul had initially felt uncomfortable dining in such a big area with just the two of them present. Apparently there seemed to be no other guests aside from them. But then, the people from the villa had created such a beautiful candle lit dinner which made the ambiance cozy and romantic.

"It‟s so quiet." Ga eul commented while they were having dinner.

"Well, we are the only people here apart from the staff." Yi Jung said with a smirk.

"Aren‟t they expecting other guests?" Ga eul inquired. She finds it odd that the villa did not have any other guests during the height of their peak season. Guests should be flocking in by now.

"My mother paid for the entire villa during the duration of our stay here." Yi Jung explained as he took a bite of his Fettucine Alfredo.

Ga eul‟s eyes widened in surprise "Why would she do that?" She asked in disbelief.

"I guess she didn‟t want us to be disturbed or something." Yi Jung replied with an amused smile on his face. Sometimes his best friend could be so naïve.

"But it doesn‟t matter if there are people. After all our marriage…" Ga eul‟s voice trailed off as she realized what she was about to say.

Yi Jung was quiet for a moment as he set his fork down. "Of course it is Ga eul, but my mother does not know that. And she doesn‟t have to know that, right?" Yi Jung finally said.

Ga eul just nodded in response. It was a little uncomfortable to discuss that aspect of their marriage. She was just Yi Jung‟s pretend wife and she was the one who had brought up the idea of a marriage in name only.

"Did you have fun today?" Yi Jung asked trying to change the subject. He was also a little uncomfortable discussing the staus of their marriage with Ga eul.

"Yes. I really had fun Yi Jung sunbae. I especially had fun during our trip to the Bianchi family‟s vineyard." Ga eul replied with a smile.

Yi Jung cleared his throat and he had a hesitant look on his face. "Ga eul" He started to say. "Would it be okay if you stop calling me sunbae? We are married after all." Yi Jung requested in a soft voice.

Ga eul blushed at Yi Jung‟s request. She was not used to calling him any other name except sunbae. "What do you want me to call you?" She asked tentatively.

"Yi Jung would be fine. Just don‟t add sunbae after it." Yi Jung replied.

"Alright Yi Jung." Ga eul agreed. It felt weird calling him with just his name. She was so used to calling him sunbae.

"By the way Ga eul, I had wanted to talk to you about our sleeping arrangements once we get home?" Yi Jung asked. He had wanted to get this subject over and done with. It was an awkward topic to discuss after all a truly married couple shouldn‟t have this kind of dilemma. But they were not a normal couple and

he wanted Ga eul to feel as comfortable as possible. If Ga eul wanted separate rooms than he would give that to her.

Ga eul was quiet for a moment and Yi Jung held his breath as he waited for an answer. Half of him wanted her to say that she wanted separate rooms. He has

to admit that it would be easier to keep their agreement if they had that arrangement. But half of him also wanted her to say that she was willing to share his bed even if she was not going to do anything more than just sleep beside him. There seems to be a satisfaction within him with just the thought of having her beside him.

Ga eul finally opened her mouth to speak. "I think sharing a bed would be fine Yi Jung. I‟m sure your bed is big enough to fit the both of us right? I don‟t want you getting in trouble if your mom finds out that we don‟t sleep in the same room." Ga eul said.

"I don‟t think she‟ll find out Ga eul. You don‟t have to worry about that." Yi Jung assured her.

"But still, it never hurts to be careful. And besides, I trust you." Ga eul explained with a smile. She reached for her glass of wine and took a sip.

Yi Jung looked at her for a moment before answering "Alright Ga eul, if that‟s what you want." He finally agreed.

They sat down in silence for the remainder of the meal. No one saw the need to speak as the silence was comfortable between them. Yi Jung was lost in

thought as he finished his dinner. Why does Ga eul have to trust him so much? Doesn‟t she know that he was hanging by a thread here?

Later that evening back in their bedroom, the sense of easiness that they had shared the whole day had already disappeared and was replaced by a feeling

of awkwardness. It was already bedtime and they were about to test their sleeping arrangements for the first time. Ga eul was in the bathroom dressing up

while Yi Jung was pacing back and forth inside their bedroom. He was wearing pajama bottoms and a loose fitting shirt. He usually slept with pajama bottoms only but given the circumstances he already has to get used to wearing a shirt since Ga eul will be sleeping beside him from now on. Yi Jung took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves.

The bathroom door finally opened and Ga eul emerged dressed for bed. Yi Jung took one look at her and swallowed hard. Ga eul had asked him if he could lend her a shirt since she had felt uncomfortable wearing the lingerie that Yi Jung‟s mom had packed for her. Yi Jung had gladly obliged because he wasn‟t really a masochist to torture himself with the sight of Ga eul in sexy lingerie. But one look at her made him realize that he was wrong. Ga eul in his shirt was even worse. For one thing, it was too big for her such as the collar was slipping on side of her shoulder revealing smooth and creamy skin. The hem of the shirt, although it was big, landed just on her mid thighs and showcased her long, lovely legs. Yi Jung had to admit that there was something sexy about the thought of Ga eul wearing his clothes. Her femininity was more striking against the masculine clothes that she wore.

It didn‟t help either that Ga eul was looking at him like a little lost lamb as if searching for confirmation that what she was wearing was okay. She was fidgeting a little bit and was pulling the hem of the shirt every now and then as if attempting to hide her body more.

"Is this better Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked tentatively.

Oh yes, it was a whole lot better. Yi Jung wanted to say. But for all the wrong reasons. Yi Jung cleared his throat "I think that would be okay for now Ga eul.

Remind me that as soon as we get home I‟ll purchase new nightwear for you." He said.

Ga eul nodded as she headed towards the bed. "I forgot to ask you. Which side do you want to sleep in?" Ga eul asked turning to Yi Jung as she stood at the foot of the bed.

"I prefer to sleep at the left side." Yi Jung replied and he watched Ga eul move to the right side of the bed.

Ga eul moved the covers aside and settled down on her side of the bed. As soon as she was settled, she looked up and saw Yi Jung still standing in the middle

of the room. "Aren‟t you going to sleep yet?" Ga eul asked curiously.

Yi Jung just stood there for a moment not knowing exactly what to do. Finally, almost reluctantly, he headed towards the bed and positioned himself at the

left side. With a small smile, Ga eul took a pillow and placed it in between them. Yi Jung wanted to laugh at Ga eul‟s actions. A pillow will not be enough to stop

him if he had wanted to… Stop it Yi Jung! He admonished himself. Don‟t even go there!

Ga eul looked timidly at Yi Jung. "Good night Yi Jung." She softly said.

"Good night to you too Ga eul ah" Yi Jung replied. He reached out and turned off the lamps bathing the room in darkness.

Ga eul lay in the darkness as she willed herself to sleep. It had been uncomfortable when the lights were on and she and Yi Jung had to deal with the

awkwardness of their situation. However, she had found out much to her dismay that the darkness was unbearable. The electricity between them was

palpable in the air and she could not relax at all. Just the thought of having Yi Jung lying down only a few feet away from her had brought her senses into overdrive. She had to think of something else. As her thoughts drifted, she remembered Giulana‟s words to her just as she was leaving the vineyard. She had wanted to ask Yi Jung about that and she thought that now was a good time to do so.

"Yi Jung?" She whispered.

"Hmm?" Yi Jung‟s voice was heard in the darkness. She had felt him shift on the bed.

"Can I ask you something?" Ga eul inquired.

"Sure, Ga eul. What is it?" Yi Jung asked.

"What does anima gemella mean? Ga eul asked curiously.

Yi Jung was silent for a moment and Ga eul had thought that he had already fallen asleep when he answered "Where did you learn that Ga eul?" Yi Jung wanted to know.

"Giulana mentioned it to me earlier just before we left. She pointed to you and then placed her hand on her heart as she said it." Ga eul explained.

Ga eul heard Yi Jung chuckle in the darkness. She couldn‟t understand why Yi Jung was so amused about it. "She really said that?" As if he couldn‟t believe it.

"Yes" Ga eul was becoming exasperated. Was Yi Jung going to tell her or not?

"Well Ga eul" She could tell that his mood had shifted as his tone had a more somber timber to it. "It means soulmate."


	19. The Struggles of Married Life

Ga eul‟s heart increased in speed as soon as she heard those words. Soulmate Could Giulana actually think that Yi Jung was her soulmate? How could she even consider that when she had only met them that day? Ga eul had always believed in the idea of soulmates and in someway, deep down, she had believed that Yi Jung was her soulmate. Having someone else, a stranger no less, confirm that to her had caused a surge of hope rise up within her. Maybe it‟s not as hopeless as she thinks it is.

She took a deep breath before starting to speak. She was quite thankful for the darkness preventing Yi Jung to see the expression on her face. "Oh, really?" Ga eul said as she tried to appear nonchalant about it. "That‟s interesting." Before Yi Jung could reply Ga eul added "Well, thanks for telling me Yi Jung. That puts my curiosity at rest. Good night then."

"Good night Ga eul." She heard Yi Jung whisper back. Ga eul had wanted so much to see Yi Jung‟s reaction about it. Based on the tone of his voice, she could guess that he was surprised about it. Yi Jung was never a believer of soulmates and it was a topic that they had always argued about.

At the other side of the bed, Yi Jung lay still lost in thought as he contemplated on what Ga eul had said earlier. He had to admit that he was quite surprised when Ga eul had mentioned that word in Italian and he was even more surprised that it was Giulana who had mentioned it to her. Soulmates That idea had never settled well with him. He was a cynic when it came to that. He and Ga eul could debate on that topic day in and day out but they would never reach a conclusion. She was an idealist and he was a cynic. They would never meet eye to eye.

Yi Jung let out a soft sigh as he snuggled deeper into the comforter. He could feel Ga eul‟s even breathing beside him and sensed that she had already fallen asleep. He felt his body relax as he slowly drifted out of consciousness with dreams of Ga eul dancing in his mind.

The next morning Yi Jung woke up and felt something warm and soft wrapped around him. He gazed down and felt his heart drop when he found Ga eul snuggled against him. Somehow, the pillow that separated them had been moved during the course of the night and they had converged together at the middle of the bed. Ga eul‟s head was resting at the crook of his shoulders while her hand was placed against his chest. Yi Jung on the other hand had his arms wrapped around her, his palms resting comfortably on her hips.

Yi Jung hardly moved as soon as he realized their position. He could also hardly breathe. Ga eul‟s shirt had slipped down her shoulders revealing silky smooth skin and the hem of the shirt had hiked up barely covering her behind. He felt something throb inside him. He was getting excited. He thought in alarm. If he doesn‟‟t get out now he was going to be a doomed man. Slowly and with utmost care Yi Jung tried to disentangle himself from Ga eul. He felt her stir a little as he moved her head away but she did not wake up. He immediately stood up as soon as he was free. He missed the heat of her body against his own but it was something that he could not indulge in if he wanted to have his sanity intact. Yi Jung gazed at Ga eul‟s sleeping figure for a moment before turning around to submit himself to a cold shower.

Yi Jung and Ga eul were finally back in Korea after spending three days in Italy. It was amazing how they had settled into married life quite easily. Yi Jung had always thought that it would be a pain to adjust someone into your life but it had been a cinch doing it with Ga eul. They had developed a routine quite immediately and living together in one house had been a breeze. Most of the time they would live separate lives during the day with Yi Jung busy at the museum and Ga eul with school. Occasional phone calls and text messages were their only connection to each other. However at night they made sure that both of them were home in time for dinner. In spite of having maids at her beck and call Ga eul had preferred cooking dinner for the both of them and Yi Jung had gotten used to having home cooked meals by his wife. They enjoyed easy conversation at the dinner table letting each other know what had happened during the day.

Yi Jung‟s mother had finally transferred the entire responsibility of the museum to Yi Jung and he had found himself swamped with work. He often came home stressed and tired but somehow Ga eul‟s encouraging words had always made him feel better. During the times where in he had to spend time in his studio to create pottery Ga eul left him alone to concentrate save for the few instances where she would bring him food or tea. She knew exactly when to give him space or when to be there for him.

Ga eul on the other hand had carried on with her teaching position at school. She was glad that Yi Jung had allowed her to continue with her work. It was a given fact that she had no need for work anymore since Yi Jung could easily support the both of them but Yi Jung understood Ga eul‟s passion with her work and knew that teaching had made her happy. Ga eul had carried on with her life like before except for a few subtle changes of course. She could say that she now wore better clothes as Madame So would constantly send her new things almost everyday. Yi Jung even had a walk in closet built for her in order to accommodate all the clothes, shoes and bags that she now own thanks to Yi Jung‟s mother. She now also traveled to and from school in a chauffer driven car.

Yi Jung had vehemently refused to allow her to take public transporation in spite of her protests. There were also days however, and these were the days Ga eul loved the most, where it was Yi Jung himself who would bring her or pick her up from school. During weekends on the other hand they would go on out of town trips usually to Jeju Island or spend the entire day watching movies at home while binging on popcorn and soda.

It was an easy relationship for the both of them and everything would have been perfect in their world save for the one difficulty that both of them had always struggled with- waking up in each other‟s arms.

Afer they had gotten back to Korea they had carried on with their sleeping arrangements of sharing one bed. At first Yi Jung thought it would be easier for them since he had a king sized bed at home. A king sized bed meant more space to move around and less likely to end up in each other‟s arms like what had happened in Italy. But he found out that he was dead wrong. No matter how many pillows each of them placed in the middle of the bed to act as a barrier they would always, always end up together in the middle of the bed the very next day. The dozen pillows would be pushed aside and they were wrapped up in each other‟s arms. This had happened every single day since they had been together and Yi Jung had to admit that it was wearing him down.

He and Ga eul still maintained their agreement of having the marriage in name only although ever since their honeymoon they seemed to have an unspoken agreement that kissing was okay. Yi Jung was happy that in spite of the limitations imposed by their agreement he was free to take her in his arms any time and kiss her senseless. He had schooled her in the art of French Kissing and they had enjoyed many nights making out in the sofa. Yi Jung had never tried it on the bed though for fear that things may get too far and he would be unable to stop himself. He savored the feel of her lips and her tongue and cherished the times wherein he had made her groan in pleasure. When things are starting to get heated however Yi Jung had always mustered enough self control in order to break away and cool things down. It had been very frustrating in his part and he already could not count the number of times he had to endure cold showers after their trysts. It had always been a constant struggle but he would gladly take anything that she was willing to offer rather than none at all.

One Saturday night Yi Jung went to the F4 lounge to catch up with his friends. The museum had taken so much of his time that he was not able to see his friends for quite sometime.

"So, how‟s the married man?" Woo Bin teased his friend as Yi Jung entered the lounge. Yi Jung headed straight to the sofa and plopped himself down as he rubbed his tired eyes.

"Just a bit tired, that‟s all." Yi Jung replied as he gave a small smile to his friend.

"How was the turn over of the museum?" Jun Pyo inquired. They knew that Madame So was transferring the museum to Yi Jung‟s care right after his wedding.

"The turn over was successful. I‟m now completely handling all the affairs of the museum. It‟s a pretty tough job but I‟m managing." Yi Jung said.

"How‟s married life then?" Ji Hoo asked curiously as he looked up from the book that he was reading.

"Pretty good" Yi Jung admitted. "Ga eul and I are managing pretty well. Being married isn‟t that bad. You should try it Woo Bin." He teased his friend.

Woo Bin held up both of his hands in surrender "Sorry Yi Jung, that‟s not my thing just yet. I‟m still enjoying the bachelor life." He said with a smirk.

"Is your agreement with Ga eul still in effect?" Jun Pyo prodded.

Yi Jung turned to his friend with a sad smile. "Yes it is." He said.

Three pairs of eyebrows shot up in surprise. Yi Jung and Ga eul had been married for four months now. Yi Jung was able to last that long?

"Don‟t you want her?" Woo Bin asked curiously. He couldn‟t believe that his friend was able to deprive himself that long.

Yi Jung rested his elbows on his knees and ran his fingers through his hair. "That‟s the thing, I want her. You don‟t know how many cold showers I had to

endure daily just to get by."

„Then why not give in? I‟m sure Ga eul would eventually see that this is something that would happen inevitably. And besides there‟s nothing wrong, you are married after all." Jun Pyo reasoned out.

"I can see that there is something stopping you Yi Jung. What is it?" Ji Hoo asked perceptively. He knew that Yi Jung had something that he was not saying.

Yi Jung sighed. "I don‟t know why I‟m feeling this way." He finally confessed. "But it feels wrong to want her." His three best friends dropped their jaws in

surprise but allowed him to continue. "This is Ga eul we‟re talking about. I couldn‟t take her just because of lust. She‟s not that kind of woman. I‟m not going to use her just to fulfill any sexual needs that I might be feeling."

The rest of the F4 couldn‟t help but feel dismayed by Yi Jung‟s confession. Apparently their friend is a lot more dense than they had thought. After four months of marriage he still hasn‟t realized that he is in love with his wife all along.


	20. Lessons from Mother

Madame So had been true to her word when she told Ga eul that she would teach her all that she needs to know about the life that she had entered when she agreed to become Yi Jung‟s wife. She had been a constant presence in her daughter in law‟s life after Ga eul‟s marriage to Yi Jung. Ga eul had gotten used to her weekly meetings with Madame So who taught her everything from wearing high heels to responding appropriately to the press.

Ga eul hurriedly looked at herself in the mirror and checked her reflection. Yi Jung‟s mother was on her way right now to pick her up for yet another of their weekly meetings. Ga eul hoped that her choice of clothes would satisfy Madame So as she slipped her delicate feet into the three inch red heels that Yi Jung‟s mother had given her just last week. Thanks to Madame So, she had finally gotten used to wearing the towering heels that Yi Jung‟s mother loved so much.

Just as she was placing pearl earrings on her earlobes a knock was heard from the door and one of the maids entered. "Young mistress, Madame So is already in the living room." She announced as she bowed her head towards Ga eul. Ga eul thanked the maid and quickly grabbed her purse from the night stand before leaving the bedroom.

As she entered the living room, she spotted Madame So inspecting one of the recent paintings that Yi Jung had purchased in a local art show. She turned around as soon as she heard Ga eul enter and smiled at her daughter in law.

"How are you Ga eul?" Madame So asked as she walked over to Ga eul to kiss her on the cheeks.

"I am fine omma." Ga eul replied as she kissed Madame So back.

"Are you ready to go then?" Madame So asked as she picked up her purse from the sofa.

Ga eul nodded while she followed Madame So out the front door. As they were heading towards Madame So „s car, Ga eul asked curiously "Where are we going omma?"

"You‟ll find out soon enough." Madame So smiled mysteriously. It was a quiet drive to their destination and Ga eul was surprised when she realized that they were headed towards the museum that Yi Jung‟s family owned. The chauffer had deposited them in front of the grand entrance and Ga eul and Madame So slowly made their way up the steps. As soon as they entered the massive foyer of the museum Yi Jung‟s mother turned to Ga eul and said "I think it‟s time for

you to learn about art and the family owned business."

Ga eul was shocked at Madame So‟s announcement. She was just Yi Jung‟s wife. She had felt she had no business snooping around the So family empire. Yi Jung‟s mother smiled at her as she continued "You might be under the notion that as a wife you are only supposed to stay in the sidelines and let the men do their job. That is not true in this family Ga eul. Yi Jung may be incharge with the business but you are not to be ignorant about it either. The So women know their art and I am not expecting anything less from you Ga eul. Art is something that makes this family alive. As you know Yi Jung has come from a long line of talented potters and someday your future children will inherit that trait also."

Ga eul blushed as Madame So mentioned children. If only she knew that it was highly unlikely to have children in the future given her current arrangement with Yi Jung.

Ga eul followed her mother in law silently as the latter led her to one portion of the museum to the next. She had meticulously explained every art piece showcased and Ga eul was surprised on how knowledgeable Madame So was about every little single art piece there was in the museum. Ga eul gulped as she realized that Yi Jung‟s mother was expecting her to eventually know about all these information also. She couldn‟t help but feel overwhelmed at the bulk of information there is to learn. Could she possibly learn all this?

Madame So turned to look at Ga eul. As if sensing her discomfort, the older woman reached out and touched Ga eul‟s arm. "I‟m not expecting you to learn everything right away Ga eul." Madame So assured her. "You‟d learn everything in time. It also took me years to familiarize myself with it."

After they had finished with the tour Yi Jung‟s mother brought Ga eul to the museum café to have tea. As they settled down on one of the tables, Madame So looked at Ga eul with a small smile on her face. "How are things going with you and Yi Jung?" Madame So inquired.

"I think we have adjusted quite well." Ga eul responded rather truthfully. It was true that it hadn‟t been that difficult adjusting her life to fit Yi Jung‟s and vise versa.

"That‟s wonderful to know Ga eul. You know, Yi Jung has changed a lot since he married you. He‟s happier now then he used to be. He had always been a brooding child and it had carried on to his teenage and early adult years. But now I noticed that he smiles a lot especially when he‟s talking about you. He may not realize it but you‟re all he talks about when I visit him in the office." Madame So narrated with an amused smile.

Ga eul blushed at Madame So‟s last comment. Was it really true that Yi Jung talked about her all the time?

"I don‟t know how you did it but my son seems to be smitten by you." Madame So added teasingly.

Ga eul did not comment but instead looked guiltily down the table. She tried focusing on her tea cup as she did not have the heart to look at Madame So in the eye. How could she explain to her mother in law that she must be imagining things because definitely Yi Jung did not marry her out of love?

Madame So continued on not noticing Ga eul‟s uneasiness. "My son has always been afraid to love." Yi Jung‟s mother confessed with a wistful smile on her face. "I had always blamed myself for that. My failed marriage to Yi Jung‟s father had caused quite an impact with him and some how I feel that he is afraid of making the same mistake. He had always been withdrawn with people wary of establishing relationships. I know that it is his fear of getting hurt that is stopping him to do so."

Madame So reached over to take Ga eul‟s hand from across the table "But you Ga eul have been able to break down his barriers and make him take the risk. I thank you so much for that." Yi Jung‟s mother said fervently to Ga eul.

Ga eul could not take it anymore and she started to cry right in front of Yi Jung‟s mother. Madame So looked at her in alarm. "Ga eul! What‟s wrong?"

"I‟m sorry Omma" Ga eul cried as tears fell non-stop from her face. "I just feel so guilty already. Yi Jung and I did not marry because we love each other. We

married because he needed to, so that you would turn over the museum to him."

Madame So looked at her for a moment. "Do you love my son?" She asked quietly.

"Yes" Ga eul admitted. It was the one true thing that she was sure about her marriage. "I‟ve loved him for a long time."

"Then the circumstances surrounding your marriage do not matter. I know that Yi Jung loves you too." Yi Jung‟s mother assured her.

Ga eul looked at her disbelievingly. It was hard to believe that Madame So was telling the truth.

"I know you don‟t believe it now Ga eul but I assure you I know my son very well. I am very sure that he loves you. You tell me that you have been best friends for seven years. My Yi Jung had never established a relationship that long with any girl that he has met except you." Madame So looked at Ga eul

apologetically. "I‟m sorry if my son seems to be too blind to see that. You have to understand that Yi Jung had always shunned the idea of love that I‟m sure he wouldn‟t be able to recognize it even if it‟s staring at him right on the face."

Madame So stood up from her seat and enveloped Ga eul in a motherly hug. Ga eul hugged her back. The expression of hope was very apparent in her tear stained face.

"I‟m sure that Yi Jung would realize it in time. In the mean time I plead you to please be patient with my son. I know that he will come around soon enough."

Later that evening Yi Jung got home to find Ga eul asleep on their bed. She had a book that lay opened against her chest while a dozen or so books were stacked on the floor beside her. With a small smile on his face Yi Jung approached her and watched her for awhile as she slept. Her countenance was relaxed and void of any worries that she almost looked as young as a teenager. Curiously he looked at the title of the book that she was reading and was surprised to find out that it was a book on pottery. He glanced down and scanned the books on the floor and found out that it was all about pottery and art in general. Yi Jung found this quite intriguing because even though Ga eul liked pottery it wasn‟t to the extent that she would study it comprehensively.

Yi Jung reached out to wake up Ga eul. He watched her with an amused smile as she began to stir. She stretched her arms and body languorously like a cat getting up from a nap and slowly opened her eyes. She gave Yi Jung a lazy smile as soon as she saw him and Yi Jung felt his heart involuntarily skip a beat. "Yi Jung, you‟re home." She said as she slowly propped herself to a sitting position.

Yi Jung sat beside her on the bed and held up the book that she was reading. „What is this all about?" He asked curiously.

"Oh that" Ga eul said as a tinge of pink stained her cheeks. "Your mother gave me that to read."

"All of this?" Yi Jung asked as he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Ga eul nodded in response. "She wanted me to learn about art and pottery especially since it is what your family is known for." She explained.

Yi Jung shook his head in frustration. His mother could be too much sometimes. "You don‟t have to pressure yourself into doing that Ga eul."

Ga eul answered him with an assuring smile "But I want to Yi Jung and besides I‟m finding it very interesting."

Yi Jung couldn‟t help but smile at her. It was very much like Ga eul to want everybody to be happy. "So where did my mother take you today?" He asked. He

has gotten used to his mother whisking Ga eul away during Saturday mornings.

"Believe it or not she took me to your museum. She gave me a private tour and gave me a brief history of each piece that you have there." Ga eul replied as she smiled back. "It really blew me away that she knew a lot about art history."

"That‟s my mother." Yi Jung said proudly. "So, is that all you talked about? You talked about art and pottery the whole time?

Ga eul was silent for a moment and her smile had turned melancholy as she remembered her conversation with Yi Jung‟s mother. By the way, she told me that you love me. Ga eul had wanted so much to blurt it out and see his reaction. But she was so afraid that she might not want his reaction so she decided to keep quiet about it. Finally she replied "Yeah, that‟s all."


	21. MotherDaughter Conspiracy

Madame So headed straight to her study as soon as she got home from her weekly meeting with Ga eul. Her study was a haven for her where she could sit and think about issues and problems. Right now, the pressing matter that she wanted to mull about was Ga eul‟s relationship with her son.

Madame So seated herself on her chair and stared out the big picture window. Ga eul‟s confession had come as a surprise for her. It wasn‟t actually the content of the confession that surprised her but rather that Ga eul had actually told her about it. She had known from the start that Yi Jung‟s marriage wasn‟t exactly ideal. She was not naïve enough to think that her son was marrying for love. She knew her son well. He wouldn‟t really have married if he had a choice and for him to have found a fiancée in two weeks since she had given him her ultimatum confirmed her suspicions that Yi Jung was not going to marry for love at all.

She had to admit that she was kind of worried when Yi Jung finally told her that he had found someone. Knowing her son‟s history with women, she was afraid that he just picked the first woman who agreed to be his wife. She would never admit it but she did some researching on her own prior to her dinner with Yi Jung and Ga eul. It had surprised her immensely when she found out that Ga eul was his best friend and that they had been friends for several years now

since all those years Yi Jung had kept Ga eul‟s existence from her. That piece of information had given her hope that maybe this marriage was going to be a turning point for her son. Her son had never seen the opposite sex as actual friends but rather as playmates and bedmates and for him to have actually started and flourished a friendship with a certain girl had heightened her interest and curiosity.

Her dinner with Ga eul had finally put all her worries to rest. The first time she had laid her eyes on Ga eul she had a good feeling that she was who her son needed. The love that Ga eul felt for her son was as clear as night and day and she also had a good intuition that Yi Jung had felt something special for the shy, unassuming girl that he had brought home to meet her. She had hoped that after they were married Yi Jung would finally realize that but apparently her son was more clueless than she thought. It seems like her son needs a good whack on the head to make him realize how special Ga eul is to him.

It had pained her to see Ga eul so miserable. She had spent enough time with her daughter in law to know that she was a good and caring soul and apparently lying was not something innate in her personality. She had not felt angry towards Ga eul and her son for deliberately lying to her as a matter fact her heart had went out to Ga eul. She knew extremely well the feeling of unrequited love. She had loved Yi Jung‟s father with all her heart but unfortunately he never learned to love her in return. But Ga eul, her sweet and innocent Ga eul who she had learned to love as her own daughter, does not have to experience that. She knew deep in her heart that Ga eul‟s relationship with her son was not a case of unrequited love at all.

Madame So sat there deep in had to think of a way to bring her oblivious son to his senses before everything was too late. After much contemplation her face suddenly widened into a big smile as soon as a good plan had dawned on her.

Ga eul was packing up her things after school on Monday. She had been contemplating on her conversation with Yi Jung‟s mom during the whole weekend and

it had left her completely distracted. There were a lot of moments during Sunday that Yi Jung looked at her in a concerned manner. He must have noticed that she was not her usual self. Ga eul had prayed hard that he would not confront her about it because she was not ready to tell him that she told his mother their secret. She did not know what had possessed her to spill the beans about their marriage. It was just that his mother was so nice and so happy about their marriage that she had felt so guilty misleading her. Before she knew it she had blurted out the truth to his mother. She had felt both surprised and relieved that Madame So had not appeared angry that they had misled her. In fact she had been extremely considerate and kind and had even consoled her while she cried. The biggest surprise she had that day was when Madame So told her that Yi Jung loved her. To be honest she had a hard time believing that it was true. She could not deny that Yi Jung had been nothing but good to her. He was a good husband and had kept every word that he promised. He had not looked at any woman since they were married and tucked away his Casanova title. But she also knew that her best friend was very vocal from the very start that love was not in his vocabulary at all and she had entered this marriage knowing that fully well. That was the reason she had proposed the marriage in name only agreement. It was her last defense to preserve whatever was left of her heart because she knew that if she gave herself to him she would have finally surrendered everything to him-body and soul. Ga eul however could not help but blush as she remembered the kisses that they had shared. In spite of her determination to uphold their agreement she had completely melted when he kissed her the first time. Since then she never had the strength to resist him whenever he took her in his arms and captured her lips. In fairness with Yi Jung, in spite of the freedom she has given him to kiss her, he continued to respect her and never passed the line that she had set between them.

Ga eul still had her misgivings in spite of Madame So‟s bold declarations that her son loved her. Could that possibly be true? She did not want to hope because she might be just setting herself up for disappointment but she still could not stop herself from doing so.

As she was about to leave her classroom her phone rang. She quickly searched her purse for her phone and checked the caller id before answering. The caller id registered Madame So‟s name and Ga eul couldn‟t help but feel curious why Yi Jung‟s mother was calling her.

"Yeboseyo" Ga eul answered.

"Ga eul, how are you? Have you finished class already?" Madame So‟s voice was heard on the other line.

"Yes omma" Ga eul replied. "I was just about to leave the classroom. Do you need anything?"

"I was wondering if you could meet me at the café downtown. I wanted to talk to you about something." Madame So asked.

Ga eul felt uneasy. What could Yi Jung‟s mother want to talk to her about? Still she could not say no to the older woman who she has learned to consider as her second mother.

"Alright omma, I‟ll be on my way." Ga eul finally agreed.

"Good" Madame So said in a satisfied tone. "I‟ll see you in awhile Ga eul."

Ga eul arrived at the café after twenty minutes and Madame So followed five minutes later. Ga eul rose from her seat to give her mother in law a kiss on the cheek.

"I‟m so happy you could make it Ga eul." Madame So said as they took their seats.

"What is it that you want to talk about omma?" Ga eul asked curiously.

"Remember what we talked about last Saturday?" Madame So began while Ga eul nodded in agreement. "Well, I‟ve decided that I couldn‟t stand and wait any longer for Yi Jung to come to his senses." She declared.

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped in surprise.

"It‟s been taking too long and knowing my son‟s capacity to understand the affairs of the heart we might have to wait for years. He might need some outside help to hasten the process so I‟ve decided to rattle his chains a little bit." Madame So with a mischievous smile on her face.

Ga eul looked nervously at Yi Jung‟s mother. What does her mother in law have up her sleeve?

"I‟ve come up with a plan but for my plan to work I‟m going to need your help Ga eul." Madame So said.

Madame So is so determined to make Yi Jung realize that he loves me but what if Madame So is wrong in the first place? What if Yi Jung does not love me at

all? Ga eul worried.

Madame So spoke as if she read her mind "I know you still have your doubts Ga eul. But trust me on this. I know my son."

Ga eul was silent for a moment. Finally she said "Okay omma, what do you want me to do?"

Ga eul was restless while she was on her way home from her meeting with Yi Jung‟s mother. She had already called Yi Jung upon Madame So‟s request and

told him that she wanted to talk about something. The worry in Yi Jung‟s voice was so apparent when he asked her what it was about but Madame So

instructed her not to say the reason yet. Before they parted ways Madame So repeated her instructions over and over again.

"Remember, say it exactly the same way I asked you to say it." She reminded Ga eul before getting into her car.

Ga eul went straight to the kitchen as soon as she got home to prepare dinner. Yi Jung was scheduled to be home in an hour. Ga eul‟s heart was beating like crazy as she tried to concentrate on her cooking. Will she actually be able to pull this off?

Yi Jung was anxious as he drove home from work. Ga eul had called him earlier and told him that she wanted to talk about something. The tone of her voice was so somber that Yi Jung could not help but worry. He had asked her what it was about but she refused to tell him. That heightened his anxiety even more. Since her call Yi Jung was not able to concentrate on his work at all. His thoughts keep drifting back to Ga eul‟s phone call and in the end he gave up and just decided to go home.

As he entered their house he spotted Ga eul at the dining table fixing their dinner. Ga eul looked up as soon as he entered. "Oh, you‟re home Yi Jung. Come sit down, dinner is ready." She said with a small smile.

Yi Jung had a strong urge to take her into his arms and ask her what she had wanted to talk about. He had been going out of his mind thinking about it. But by the looks of it, he still has to wait til after dinner to find out.

The dinner was silent all through out. Ga eul was too wrapped up thinking about the next step in Madame So‟s plan while Yi Jung was busy worrying about his imminent talk with Ga eul. Finally when all the dishes were cleared Yi Jung could not stand it any longer.

"What is it you want to talk about Ga eul?" He asked nervously.

Ga eul looked at him and his heart beat quickened. "I‟m leaving Yi Jung."


	22. The Imminent Separation

Yi Jung‟s heart stopped as soon as he heard Ga eul‟s words. Blood drained from his face and he was as pale as a ghost. What did she just say? Not quite accepting that he had heard her right the first time.

"What did you say again Ga eul?" he asked his voice cracking as he tried to hide the emotions that he was feeling at that very moment.

"I‟m leaving Yi Jung." Ga eul repeated her words again this time in a whisper. She looked straight into his eyes.

Pain exploded instantly in Yi Jung‟s chest. He had heard her right the first time. Yi Jung gripped the edges of the table tightly as he tried to remain calm and composed.

"You‟re leaving me?" he asked softly. His mind was all jumbled up right now and he couldn‟t think straight. He felt numb all over. He never knew that this day would arrive or at least he had hoped that it would take years before it did happen. He remembered he promised Ga eul that she could leave this marriage anytime she wanted to. The time had finally come but much to Yi Jung‟s surprise he seemed to have difficulty letting her go. Just the thought of her leaving

had shot daggers to his heart each time.

"I‟m going to New York." Ga eul said. She appeared to be calm and collected. She was talking about it as if she was just talking about something mundane and unsignificant such as the weather. She didn‟t seem to realize that Yi Jung was ready to crack from the gravity of her news.

"Are you not happy with me anymore?" Yi Jung asked sorrowfully. He knew he had no right to ask such a question since theirs was not a regular marriage but he could not help himself. He wanted to know. He wanted to know very badly.

A confused expression crossed Ga eul‟s face as soon as she heard Yi Jung‟s question. "What are you talking about Yi Jung?"

"Are you leaving because you‟re not happy anymore?" Yi Jung asked her again.

Ga eul looked at Yi Jung with a baffled expression on her face until comprehension dawned on her. "You think I‟m leaving you for good?"

"Aren‟t you?" Yi Jung asked as he shot her an accusing stare. He could not understand what was going on with him.

Ga eul watched Yi Jung for awhile before responding. She was completely amazed with Madame So. She could not imagine how the older woman was able to accurately predict Yi Jung‟s reaction.

"No I‟m not." She finally responded with a small smile.

"But you said you‟re leaving." Yi Jung couldn‟t seem to hide the hurt expression on his face.

"Well, that‟s right. I‟m really going to New York. But I‟m coming back." Ga eul assured him.

Yi Jung was not sure if he should believe her or not. His heart rate was slowly returning back to normal but he still could not help but feel anxious.

"What are you going to do in New York anyway?" Yi Jung asked warily.

"Well, omma has been teaching me about the arts and she suggested that New York would be a good place for me to experience different kinds of art." Ga eul explained with a smile.

Yi Jung was quiet for awhile. Now that he was pretty much assured that Ga eul was not exactly leaving him for good he was able to focus more on the subject

at hand. He had to admit that his omma was right. New York is a good learning experience for Ga eul.

"Why don‟t you wait for a week or two Ga eul? I‟ll just set my affairs in order at the museum and then I‟ll go with you." Yi Jung suggested.

"I don‟t think omma will allow you to be away from the museum for a long time." Ga eul expressed her concern. "Don‟t worry Yi Jung I can manage on my own."

Yi Jung had his misgivings of sending Ga eul on her own. New York was a foreign country and he was not sure if Ga eul could manage it. There was the language barrier to think about.

"Are you sure Ga eul? Your English is not that good yet. You might have difficulty finding your way around the place." Yi Jung asked hesitantly.

"My English has improved a lot Yi Jung. Omma has been teaching me and I might say that I‟m becoming more fluent in it. I think the trip to New York would actually help me grasp my knowledge of English much better." Ga eul reasoned out.

Yi Jung did not know what to do. Ga eul seemed to be already decided on going. "How long are you staying there?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, a month" Ga eul replied nonchalantly.

Yi Jung‟s jaw dropped in surprise. "A month!" he exclaimed his voice rising.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Ga eul asked innocently.

Yi Jung could feel the vein in his temple throbbing. What could he possibly answer to that? It really shouldn‟t be an issue at all. Ga eul has the right to travel where she pleases and how long she wants to stay. He just couldn‟t understand why the thought of her being away that long did not settle well with him.

"I would be more comfortable if I come with you." Yi Jung said trying to convince Ga eul to wait for him or to cancel the trip all together.

"Yi Jung, we know it‟s not possible. Omma had just transferred the responsibility of the entire museum to you. You can‟t just leave it behind for a month." Ga eul reasoned out.

"Why don‟t we ask omma‟s opinion first?" Yi Jung said.

"Actually it was omma who suggested the trip remember and she did tell me that I was going to do just fine on my own." Ga eul reminded him.

Yi Jung was silent for a moment. "Okay Ga eul, if that‟s what you want." He finally said.

The next day Madame So was sitting comfortably behind her desk. She was reading the morning paper while waiting for a certain someone to pay her a visit.

Ga eul had sent her a message the night before that she and Yi Jung had already talked about the trip and that Yi Jung seemed reluctant to allow her to go. Madame So smiled as she read that news. So far everything was going along exactly according to her plan.

She had called Ga eul early that morning and asked her to relay everything that happened during their talk. As expected Yi Jung had thought that Ga eul was leaving him and Madame So was quite pleased with her son‟s reaction. It appears that her son was not too crazy about the thought of letting his wife go. She took this as a good sign.

A knock was heard from the door and Madame So had requested the person to come in. Her assistant entered and informed her that Yi Jung was outside and had wanted to see her. She informed her assistant to let him in. Madame So folded the paper and put it away as she waited her son to enter. Finally he was here. She had been expecting him the entire day.

With a soft knock Yi Jung entered the door of his mother‟s study and bowed to his mother in greeting.

"Yi Jung, come and sit. What brings you here today?" Madame So greeted her son with a smile.

Yi Jung approached his mother‟s desk and seated himself in one of the leather chairs in front of her. "Ga eul and I had a talk last night." Yi Jung opened up.

Madame So raised her eyebrows feigning surprise. "Really? What did you talk about?" She asked curiously.

Yi Jung paused for awhile as he gathered his thoughts. "She told me that she wants to go to New York to learn more about the art there. Apparently you

seemed to have an influence on that." He finally said.

Madame So looked calmly at her son. "I think it will be a good opportunity for her. Ga eul should be given a chance to spread her wings. From what I know your wedding in Italy was her first time to travel abroad. It would be nice to give her a chance to see the world don‟t you think?"

"I know omma, but I don‟t think it would be good for her to go alone." Yi Jung reasoned out. "I think it would be better if she goes with me."

"I think it would be perfectly fine for her to go alone. She‟s a grown woman Yi Jung and she has learned enough English to help her communicate effectively with the people there." Madame So countered.

"What if something happens?" Yi Jung asked in concern.

"Of course she will not be entirely alone. I‟ll make sure that she has a bodyguard to watch over her while she‟s there." Madame So assured her son.

"But still, a month?" Yi Jung questioned.

Madame So looked at her son with a serious expression on her face. She was trying very hard not to smile. She was very pleased that her plan seems to be working. "Yi Jung, your wife has every right to stay as long as she pleases. After all it is her summer vacation from school. If she chooses to stay there for the entire two months then let her."

Madame So had a satisfied expression on her face as she sensed that Yi Jung didn‟t seem to be too crazy about the idea of Ga eul staying in New York for the entire two months.

"You don‟t seem to be too eager of letting Ga eul go. Is there something wrong?" Madame So asked her son.

A tinge of blush slightly colored Yi Jung‟s cheeks. "No, nothing‟s wrong omma. I‟m really just concerned of her going alone and staying too long." He confessed.

"No need to worry Yi Jung. Everything will be just fine." She assured her son yet again. "Now run along and tell your wife that she can leave next week. I‟ll make the arrangements for her."

Ga eul had to admit that she was both nervous and excited about her imminent trip to New York. She had never been there before and based on the numerous articles she‟s read and the dozens of pictures she has seen it seems as if it‟s an interesting and exciting place to be. She also couldn‟t help but feel anxious about the fact that she was going there alone. She still has her qualms about overcoming the language barrier but she was quite confident with the skills that Madame So had taught her. Yi Jung‟s mother had also assured her that she was sending with her a body guard that was well versed with the language and would be a great help to her if she does encounter any difficulties.

Ga eul had been preparing for this trip the whole week eversince Yi Jung had relayed Madame‟s So message to her. Finally it was the night before she was scheduled to leave and Ga eul was busy doing some last minute packing. As she was gathering her toiletries and putting them in a small bag Ga eul couldn‟t help but mull over Yi Jung‟s reaction regarding her trip. Although he had eventually agreed into letting her go she couldn‟t help but sense his reluctance about it. She had noticed that Yi Jung had been quiet all through out the week. She also observed that he went home earlier than he usually did and went to work a little later than usual. He seemed to linger more on the breakfast table during mornings and appeared to be unenthusiastic to leave when she finally shooed him out of the house telling him that he was going to be late for work.

She also couldn‟t help but catch the sad look in her husband‟s eyes from time to time when he thought that she was not looking. There was many times wherein she just wanted to go to Madame So and tell her that she didn‟t want to go anymore. To be honest Ga eul knew that she would have more fun with the trip if Yi Jung was with her. But Madame So insisted that this trip was necessary and that she should trust her with it. Ga eul initially had her doubts but after much thinking, Ga eul finally decided that maybe this temporary separation would be best for the both of them.


	23. Sweet Moments Before Goodbye

Yi Jung walked through the front door of their house after a long day at the office. This was the day before Ga eul‟s scheduled trip to New York and Yi Jung had wanted very much to stay at home and spend the day with her. He couldn‟t really understand why he was feeling this way. Ga eul was coming back. It wasn‟t as if she would be gone forever. But during the past week Yi Jung had the urge of spending every waking moment with her. Unfortunately there were a lot of scheduled meetings and business deals that needed his attention and it was already early evening when he was finally able to leave the museum.

Yi Jung quickly ascended the stairs to their bedroom and found Ga eul at her dresser drawer busy sorting through various knick knacks that she would be bringing with her on her trip. Yi Jung had told her to leave the packing to the maids but Ga eul still insisted in being hands on with it. She may be a chaebol‟s wife now but Ga eul was still used to doing things on her own.

Yi Jung stood at the door for a moment and watched his wife go about with her business. Ga eul hadn‟t seen him yet and Yi Jung took that moment to just stare at her. After ten minutes Ga eul was still oblivious to Yi Jung‟s presence so with a small smile he quietly approached her from behind.

Ga eul jumped in surprise as she felt two muscular arms snake their way around her waist. She turned her head a little to see who it was just as Yi Jung rested his chin on her shoulder. "Yi Jung!" Ga eul exclaimed. "I didn‟t know you were already home."

"Are you already finished packing?" Yi Jung asked. He did not budge from his position.

"Almost" Ga eul replied. "I just have to put this in my bag and I‟m all done."

"What do you want to do tonight?" Yi Jung asked. He absent mindedly skimmed his lips against Ga eul‟s shoulders.

Ga eul could feel goose bumps breaking out on her arms as she felt Yi Jung‟s lips against her skin. "Why don‟t we do a movie marathon?" Ga eul croaked.

"Hmm, sounds like a good idea." Yi Jung agreed as he continued to caress Ga eul‟s shoulders with his lips.

Ga eul finally broke away from his grasp. The feel of his lips on her skin was causing havoc to her senses. "Why don‟t you go and select the movies Yi Jung. I‟ll

follow as soon as I finish packing." Ga eul suggested.

Yi Jung smirked at her. "Alright Ga eul, don‟t take too long." He said as he headed out of the door.

Ga eul followed Yi Jung to the recreation room twenty minutes later and found Yi Jung arranging a tray of popcorn and drinks on top of the coffee table.

"Have you chosen the movies Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked as she settled herself on the huge lazyboy couch. Yi Jung grabbed a couple of dvds and tossed it

towards Ga eul. Ga eul looked at the movie titles in surprise. When did Yi Jung ever like romantic comedies? She thought in bewilderment.

"Which one do you want to watch first?" Yi Jung asked as he turned towards Ga eul. Ga eul chose one from the stack and handed it to Yi Jung.

Ga eul and Yi Jung spent the rest of the evening binging on popcorn and soda as they watched one movie after the other. On their third movie Yi Jung

reached for Ga eul and pulled her against him. Ga eul rested comfortably on Yi Jung‟s chest as he played with her hair. Ga eul was deeply engrossed with the

movie they were watching until she felt the feathery touch of Yi Jung‟s lips on her the tip of her shoulders. Her breathing became erratic as she felt Yi Jung‟s

lips travel softly from her shoulders to the base of her throat.

"Yi Jung" Ga eul whispered but Yi Jung continued caressing her neck with feathery light kisses. The movie forgotten, Ga eul closed her eyes as she savored

the feeling of Yi Jung‟s lips on her skin. Ga eul couldn‟t help but let out a moan as she felt Yi Jung gently suck on the sensitive part of her skin. In a flash Yi

Jung captured her lips with his own and kissed her with so much intensity that Ga eul had never experienced before. Ga eul kissed him back with as much

fervor as he. There was a desperate feel to their kisses as if both of them were dreading their looming separation. Ga eul opened her mouth and welcomed Yi

Jung‟s tongue as he softly caressed her tongue with his. Before she knew it, Yi Jung had shifted and she found herself trapped beneath his body. Their kisses

deepened as Yi Jung ran his fingers through Ga eul‟s hair. Ga eul held on to him as she softly stroke the length of Yi Jung‟s back with her fingertips.

They kissed and kissed with so much urgency until they finally had to break apart due to the need for air. They gazed into each other‟s eyes both of them

breathing heavily. Yi Jung reached out and caressed Ga eul‟s cheek softly with his fingers. Ga eul opened her mouth to speak but Yi Jung pressed his finger on

her lips. When both of their racing hearts and erratic breathing had finally settled down, Yi Jung bent down and gave Ga eul a chaste peck on the lips before

gathering her into his arms. Yi Jung closed his eyes as he held Ga eul close and Ga eul listened to Yi Jung‟s beating heart until her eyes closed as well.

The next morning Yi Jung opened his eyes and found himself alone on the couch. He propped himself into a sitting position and stretched his arms before

swinging his long legs to the floor to look for his wife. Yi Jung eventually found Ga eul in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the both of them. She had already

showered and was already dressed and ready for her flight. Yi Jung thought that she looked adorable in the frilly pink apron that she was wearing to protect

the clothes that she had under.

Ga eul looked up from the pot that she was stirring and smiled at Yi Jung as soon as she saw him. "You‟re awake" She said. "Why don‟t you shower and get dressed and we‟ll have breakfast in a few minutes?"

Yi Jung gave her a lazy smirk and a mock salute before heading back up the stairs to get ready. He had promised Ga eul that he would be the one taking her to the airport.

After breakfast Yi Jung and Ga eul stood in front of their house as they waited for the maids to finish loading Ga eul‟s baggage inside the car. Yi Jung reached out and took his wife‟s hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Ga eul looked up at him with a small smile on her face. "I‟m ready." She replied.

The drive to the airport was quiet. Ga eul was pretty nervous about her trip while Yi Jung was trying his best to stay calm and relaxed. He had been psyching himself the entire week that everything was going to be okay and that Ga eul would be back soon. But now that the day of her departure had finally come he could feel a thousand butterflies swarming inside his stomach.

He couldn‟t help but recall one of their movie marathons a few months ago where in Ga eul had convinced him to watch Sleepless in Seattle. The movie had featured the actors meeting their special someone at the top of the Empire State building. He distinctly remembered Ga eul swooning at that scene.

"Who knows, maybe I‟ll find someone at the top of the Empire State building too." She had commented jokingly causing Yi Jung to choke on the soda he was

drinking.

Yi Jung looked at her in horror while she just winked at him and told him that she was just joking. Ga eul hadn‟t expressed her desire to go to New York then and Yi Jung had almost forgotten that incident until now.

He knew that it was all paranoia in his part but he couldn‟t help but worry that Ga eul‟s comment all those months ago might come true. After all, theirs was just a marriage made by two friends to fulfill a condition imposed by his crazy mother. What if Ga eul unexpectedly finds her true love there? Would he be man enough to let her go?

Yi Jung tried his best to shove all his worries aside. He was overthinking things. Ga eul was going to New York to appreciate art and not for anything else.

Before he knew it, they had finally arrived at the airport. After loading all of Ga eul‟s things in a cart they headed towards the departure area of the airport. The bodyguard who was to accompany Ga eul on the trip was trailing close behind them. As soon as the boarding pass was issued and her bags were checked in Ga eul stood beside Yi Jung as they waited for her flight to be announced.

Yi Jung placed his arm around Ga eul‟s shoulder and Ga eul leaned her head against him. "Are you sure you‟re going to be alright?" Yi Jung asked for what it seems to be a hundredth time.

Ga eul looked up at him with an assuring smile on her face. "Don‟t worry about me Yi Jung. I‟m going to be just fine."

Yi Jung took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Alright, if you say so." He replied.

They stood beside each other silently for awhile until Yi Jung spoke up again. "Don‟t forget to call me from time to time and let me know how you‟re doing."

"I will" Ga eul assured him.

Finally Ga eul‟s flight was announced and the moment Yi Jung was dreading for had arrived. Ga eul faced Yi Jung and looked at him with a sad smile. "I have to

go" She whispered.

Yi Jung‟s heart was thudding very fast. "Send me a message as soon as you get there." He said.

"I will." Ga eul replied.

"Make sure that you are always within the sight of your bodyguard. Don‟t wander off alone." Yi Jung told her.

"I won‟t" Ga eul promised.

"I‟ll…" Yi Jung said hesitantly. Ga eul gazed at him with an expectant look on her face. "I‟ll miss you." He finally whispered.

Ga eul smiled as she felt tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. "I‟ll miss you too." She whispered back.

Yi Jung and Ga eul stood there and gazed at each other until Ga eul‟s flight was announced again for the second time.

"I really have to go." Ga eul reluctantly said. She stood on tiptoes and gave Yi Jung a peck on the lips before turning towards the direction of the departure gates. She was about to make a step when Yi Jung suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

"Come back soon." He whispered as he finally pulled away.

"I will" Ga eul said with a smile as she finally turned away and headed towards the boarding gates.


	24. Sleepless Nights

Yi Jung lingered in the airport long after Ga eul‟s flight had taken off. He knew that he had to be on his way to the museum but his legs felt like lead. They were heavy and stiff and he had difficulty moving them. He had to admit that he was not in the mood to do anything right now. The thought of work was far from his mind and all he wanted was to go home and mope. Yi Jung sat in the airport coffee shop as he watched people come and go. The airport was a threshold for hellos and goodbyes and Yi Jung watched in fascination as he saw people from all walks of life welcoming loved ones with smiles or bidding them goodbye with tears. He gazed at a young couple hugging each other tightly. He felt a stab in the heart as he remembered Ga eul.

Yi Jung could not understand what was happening to him. There were new and unfamiliar feelings going on inside his heart and he was incapable of putting a label to it. All that he knew was that he felt strange. His heart was restless like it had lost something important and it would not settle until that something was found. Much to his frustration he could not even figure out what it was.

After an hour of loitering around the airport like a little lost boy, Yi Jung finally dragged his feet towards his car and drove to the museum. Yi Jung plopped into his chair as he arrived at his office and stared into space. There were tons of paper work stacked on his table begging for his attention but he could not bring himself to look at them. It was as if his life was brought into slow motion and every second had dragged on forever. He was very much lost in his thoughts that he did not hear the door of his office open.

"Earth to Yi Jung" Madame So‟s voice broke through his trance and he jumped in surprise. He looked at his mother sheepishly like a student caught not listening to his teacher.

"Omma, I didn‟t hear you come in." Yi Jung said as he cleared his throat and reached for a folder on his desk. He felt embarrassed being caught by his mother day dreaming in the office.

"I hope that this is not a common occurrence Yi Jung." His mother scolded him although she had a small smile on her face as she looked at her son.

"Not at all Omma, you just caught me in a bad time." Yi Jung tried to explain as he opened the folder in front of him pretending to scan the notes written.

Madame So approached his desk and took a seat on the chair in front of him. "Did Ga eul leave for New York already?" She inquired as soon as she settled herself.

Yi Jung looked up and gazed at his mother. "Yes, I brought her to the airport this morning." He told her.

"That‟s good." Madame So said with a smile. "I‟m sure that she‟s going to enjoy herself."

Yi Jung gave his mother a weak smile but did not say anything.

Madame So watched her son curiously. There seems to be a subtle change in her son but she could not exactly pinpoint what it was. All she could decipher was that her son had a lost look in his eyes. "Why don‟t you have dinner in the house tonight?" She asked. She knew that this would be her son‟s first time to have dinner alone after six months.

"It‟s alright Omma, I‟ll just have dinner at home. I feel a little tired. I might decide to turn in early." Yi Jung replied.

"Okay, if you say so. Just call me if you need anything." Madame So told her son.

That night Yi Jung ate his dinner alone for the first time since he was married. Ga eul had given the maids instructions on what to cook for Yi Jung and although the lamb dish that the cook had prepared tasted good, Yi Jung still preferred Ga eul‟s cooking. Yi Jung picked on his food until finally he did not have any appetite to eat anymore. The silence in the house was deafening and it made Yi Jung uneasy. All too soon he missed Ga eul‟s laughter and their lively banter at the dinner table. They usually enjoyed telling each other about their day and shared their opinions about the latest issues and news.

Yi Jung finally stood up leaving his half eaten meal and an unopened bottle of wine. He walked drudgingly up the stairs to their bedroom. As he turned on the light, the cold, empty room greeted him and Yi Jung unconsciously sighed.

After washing up, Yi Jung lied down and tried to get some sleep but slumber did not claim him. He tossed and turned several times but couldn‟t seem to find a good position. Suddenly, the king sized bed seemed to be too massive for him and Yi Jung felt restless.

Yi Jung tossed aside the covers with a sigh as he stood up from the bed and padded his way to the recreation room. He had pretty much given up trying to get some sleep and decided to watch a few movies in an attempt to make his eyes sleepy. He headed over to their vast movie collection and started to pick out a movie. To his dismay none of the movies seemed to interest him. Finally his eyes came to rest on their copy of Sleepless in Seattle. Yi Jung debated to himself for a few moments but then after he let out a defeated sigh and snatched the movie from the shelf.

Ga eul gazed in amazement as she stepped inside the apartment that Madame So had rented for her. It was a penthouse apartment in one of the swankiest places in New York and Ga eul could not help but be filled with awe at the opulence that she was seeing. To say that the place was huge was an understatement. It seemed too big to be lived in by just two people. It had four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The huge kitchen housed all the state of the art appliances and the sitting room was arranged to face the floor to ceiling windows that dominated the entire side of the apartment. Ga eul headed over to the windows and looked out into the city. She had to admit that New York was amazing at night with all its twinkling lights and giant skyscrapers. She wished that Yi Jung could see this. On second thought, Yi Jung had probably already seen this a dozen times but she still wished that he was there to share it with her.

Ga eul let out a soft sigh as she gazed out the window. She had to admit that she already missed Yi Jung very much. This was their first time to be apart for this long since they had been married. The longest time that they had been apart was a day and now they wouldn‟t be seeing each other for an entire month. It‟s been barely 24 hours since she had left and she was already missing him very badly. Ga eul could not imagine how she would last the next thirty days without seeing him.

Ga eul finally turned away from the window and headed towards her bedroom. As she turned on the light she found a king sized bed in the middle and expensive wooden furniture arranged tastefully around the room. Ga eul reluctantly walked inside and headed towards the bed. She sat on the edge as she looked around the room. The room was pretty but it was also too big and too cold. Ga eul could not imagine sleeping on the huge bed all alone. She had been used to Yi Jung sleeping beside her even though they had arranged dozens of pillows between them. It had made her feel safe knowing that Yi Jung was just near by. But he was not here now and Ga eul wondered if she would be able to sleep at all.

Her gaze fell on her purse on the night stand and she stood up to retrieve her phone. She scanned through her contacts and found Yi Jung‟s number. She had wanted very much to press the call button and talk to him but she remembered Madame So‟s instructions.

"Don‟t call him. Wait for him to call you first." Madame So had specifically told her before she left for New York. Not wanting to irk her mother in law, Ga eul settled on the message button instead.

Yi Jung was sprawled on the couch as he watched the closing credits of the movie. He regretted having chosen the movie in the first place as he felt his earlier worries rise again from within him. His heart jumped as he watched the scene where the heroine found her leading man on top of the Empire State building. Unexpectedly, in his overactive imagination, the heroine‟s face had transformed into Ga eul and he watched her as she ran towards an unknown man with blond hair and blue eyes. Yi Jung closed his eyes and tried to erase the scene from his mind but it had stayed there like a stubborn stain that wouldn‟t go away.

Yi Jung stood up and turned off the television. He checked his watch and saw that it was already early morning. He walked back to the bedroom intent in getting some sleep. Before lying down he checked his phone and found out that he had one new message. His heart thudded in anticipation and he couldn‟t help but smile when he saw that it was from Ga eul. She had just wanted to inform him that she arrived in New York safe and sound. Yi Jung had a strong urge to call her but he felt that she might be resting and did not want to disturb her.

He lay back down on the bed and attempted to get some sleep. His body was exhausted but his mind seemed to be alert and awake. His gaze fell on Ga eul‟s pillow on her side of the bed. Without thinking Yi Jung reached out and grabbed her pillow pulling it against him. He took a deep breath and caught the strawberry scent of Ga eul‟s shampoo. Finally while hugging Ga eul‟s pillow close to him, Yi Jung closed his eyes and succumbed into much needed sleep.


	25. A Date in the Park Bench

Ga eul pulled her coat closer to her body as she roamed the busy streets of New York. Her bodyguard walked behind her discreetly a few feet away. At first Ga eul wondered how her body guard could act discreet with his black suit and aviator sunglasses but then she realized, much to her surprise that he would just fit right in since everybody in New York seemed to wear black all the time.

Ga eul strolled leisurely as she took in the sights while the the people around her rushed about intent on getting to their destinations quickly. If there was one thing that Ga eul learned about New York it was that the people there seemed to be always in a hurry. Ga eul couldn‟t imagine living her life like this. People were always on the go, walking briskly with their heads bowed down low. There was no time to stop and breathe, to sit on a café and enjoy watching people pass. It was as if the people there walked on a straight line and it would be a sin to deviate from it even for a second.

Ga eul had been there for two days and she had to admit that she was learning a lot. It was fascinating to immerse herself to a totally different culture. It was fun to discover how things could be very different from what she was used to and she has been trying very hard to veer away from her comfort zone and push her self to try new things. She was pleased to know that she was managing the language barrier pretty well and so far she had not needed her body guard to interpret things for her. To be honest Ga eul was starting to enjoy her independence quite a bit although this had not stopped her from missing Yi Jung a lot.

It has been two days and Yi Jung had not called her yet. She couldn‟t help but feel sad that Yi Jung was able to ignore her that long. She was hoping that her absence would make him miss her a little bit. She tried to reason out to herself that maybe Yi Jung was just very busy in the museum and had not found time to call her yet. Yes, it was better to think about it that way rather than thinking that he did not care at all.

Ga eul stopped walking as soon as she was in front of Central Park. She fell in love with the park the first time she saw it and made a promise to herself that she would pass by it everyday during her entire stay in New York. She had found the park very soothing and had enjoyed walking through the tree lined paths. Ga eul strolled through the park until she found an empty bench. She settled herself on it and contented herself on watching the people go by. She spotted several joggers and bikers who were making the most of the last rays of sun before evening finally settled in. A few people were walking their dogs while young lovers strolled by hand in hand.

Ga eul let out an unconscious sigh. She was sure that Yi Jung would love spending time here. She and Yi Jung usually loved spending a couple of hours in the park back in Korea during Sunday afternoons. They would just let the hours pass as they sat on a park bench and talk about anything and everything under the sun. Sometimes he would buy her some ice cream and they would eat it under the shade of a tree.

Ga eul took her phone out of her purse and stared at it as if willing it to ring but much to her dismay it had continued to stay silent like it did yesterday.

Yi Jung was lost in thought as he strolled the busy streets of Korea. He was suppose to be in the museum finishing some paper work but he had been feeling suffocated all morning and had decided to take a walk in order to get some fresh air.

Yi Jung was feeling very tired. He was not able to sleep much last night and the three cups of coffee that he took during breakfast did not help at all. He couldn‟t understand why he doesn‟t seem to be in the mood to do anything. He always loved being at the museum and surrounding himself with great works of art but quite recently it had not done anything to lift his spirits. That empty feeling that he felt had taken up permanent residence in his heart and he seemed to have lost all motivation to accomplish anything.

Yi Jung slowed down to a stop as soon as he spotted the park that he and Ga eul always frequented during the weekends. Without thinking he crossed the street and headed towards it. Yi Jung took a deep breath and filled his lungs with fresh air. The trees that dotted the park had always had a calming effect on him. He seated himself on an empty park bench and watched the trees sway gently against the wind.

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone. He stared at it for a couple of minutes as if contemplating on what to do. He played around with it for awhile until he started scrolling through his contacts. He stopped on the name he was looking for and finally after a moment‟s hesitation he pressed on the call button.

Ga eul jumped and almost dropped her phone when it started ringing. She looked at the screen and felt her heart speed up as soon as she read the caller id. Ga eul took a couple of breaths to calm her self and finally answered on the fifth ring.

"Yeboseyo" Ga eul‟s voice was heard through the other line and all too soon Yi Jung had felt a certain feeling of contentment. It felt as if he had not spoken to her for a long time and he felt his heart jump a bit as soon as he had heard her voice.

"Ga eul, how are you?" He asked softly as he leaned back against the park bench.

"Everything is great Yi Jung. I‟m having fun so far." Ga eul replied. He could feel her smiling.

Yi Jung cleared his throat before answering. "That‟s good to know Ga eul. I hope the language barrier hasn‟t been a problem."

"Surprisingly, I‟m managing quite well for a beginner. So far, I haven‟t asked my body guard to translate anything for me." She said proudly.

Yi Jung couldn‟t help but smile. He was very proud at Ga eul for mastering the English language.

"Guess where I am right now." Ga eul said mysteriously.

"The Empire State Building?" Yi Jung guessed although he crossed his fingers behind his back and hoped that he was wrong. For some reason he did want Ga eul to go there at all.

Ga eul laughed at his comment. "No, although I do have plans to visit that soon." She remarked. "Anyway, I‟m in Central Park."

"Really?" Yi Jung said his smile widening. "Well, guess where I am right now."

"The museum?" Ga eul guessed.

"No, not the museum, although I‟m supposed to be there right now." He answered sheepishly.

"Then where are you?" Ga eul asked curiously.

"I‟m at the park." He replied.

Ga eul was surprised when she heard this. "It‟s not Sunday right now. What are you doing there?"

"I don‟t know. I had a sudden urge to go here for no particular reason at all." Yi Jung admitted.

Ga eul was quiet for awhile. If there was one thing that she misses most it was their weekly trips to the park. "Too bad we won‟t be able to have our weekly park trips for a month." Ga eul remarked sadly.

"We are both in the park right now aren‟t we?" Yi Jung replied softly. "We could still have our park trips it just so happens that you‟re there and I‟m here."

"It won‟t be the same." Ga eul said as she tried her best not to cry. She hadn‟t missed Yi Jung more as much as she was missing him right now.

"It‟s alright Ga eul. We‟ll make the most out of it." Yi Jung assured her. "So tell me, have you been to any Broadway plays?"

"Not yet, although I‟m thinking of seeing Les Miserables on Saturday and maybe CATS on Monday." Ga eul replied.

"They‟re both good. I‟m sure you‟re going to enjoy them." Yi Jung said in an approving tone.

"It‟s kind of lonely doing it alone." Ga eul admitted.

"Don‟t worry Ga eul, I‟ll go to New York with you next time and we‟ll watch them again together." Yi Jung promised.

Yi Jung and Ga eul had talked for an hour as they sat on their respective park benches from across the globe. Yi Jung had updated Ga eul on what was happening in the museum while Ga eul told Yi Jung about the places that she was planning to visit. The sun was finally setting in Ga eul‟s side of the world when she finally thought that it was time to say goodbye. She was quite reluctant to put down the phone but she knew that she had to get home soon and Yi Jung probably needs to go back to the museum.

"I have to go Yi Jung. It‟s starting to get dark. I have to start making my way back home." Ga eul said reluctantly.

Yi Jung was silent for awhile. "Yeah, I think I have to get going too. If omma finds out I skipped work she‟s going to have my head chopped off." Yi Jung replied halfheartedly.

"I‟ll talk to you again soon?" Ga eul asked hopefully.

"I‟ll call you back tomorrow." Yi Jung promised.

"Bye" Ga eul whispered and finally pressed the end button.

She stared into space for a moment as she recalled her entire conversation with Yi Jung. Five minutes had not yet passed since their call ended but she was already starting to miss Yi Jung‟s voice. With a heavy heart she pulled herself up from the bench and started walking towards the direction of her home.

Yi Jung was thousands of miles away but Ga eul was glad that at least for a brief moment in time it had felt as if he was just beside her.


	26. A Grave Misunderstanding

Ga eul stood at the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and gazed at the huge structure in awe. It had been a week since she had arrived in New York and she had finally decided to pay the famous museum a visit. She walked tentatively up the steps and entered the vast hall of the museum. It was a very busy time in the museum with a lot of people walking around. There were several groups of students having field trips and a couple of older people looking at and appreciating the art works displayed. Ga eul headed towards the concierge and took a map to help her get around. She studied the map for awhile before deciding to head towards a room of paintings that perked her interest based on the description written on the brochure.

Ga eul finally reached the room and entered it excitedly as she glanced around and spotted the beautiful paintings that were hung all around. Thanks to all the art books that Madame So had given her, which she had religiously read for the past couple of months, Ga eul was very much familiar with most of the art works displayed and was able to appreciate them more since she was more knowledgeable about their history and origins.

Ga eul was completely engrossed with a particular painting as she studied the swirls of the paintbrush that the painter had used that she did not notice a man come up beside her.

"It‟s an interesting painting isn‟t it?" The man spoke up causing Ga eul to jump in surprise. She glanced towards her right and found a young man with blond hair and blue eyes standing beside her. He seemed to appear to be around her age. Normally Ga eul would have been wary talking

to complete strangers but this man exuded a peaceful aura that made Ga eul comfortable around him.

"Yes, I love how the painter used his brush strokes making the picture seem ethereal." Ga eul commented as she gazed back at the painting.

"You seem to know a lot about painting." The young man commented. "Are you an artist?"

Ga eul blushed at his question. "No, I‟ve just read a lot of art books, that‟s all." Ga eul said shyly.

The young man smiled at her. "I‟m Warren Hunter by the way." He said as he held out his hand for a handshake.

"I‟m Chu Ga eul." Ga eul replied as she grasped his hand with her own.

"Do you live here in New York?" He asked curiously.

"No, I‟m just here for a visit. How about you?" Ga eul replied.

"I‟m a true blue New Yorker. I was born and raised here." Warren said with a smile. "How do you like the city so far?" He inquired.

Ga eul was silent for awhile as she contemplated on what to say. "It‟s very interesting." She finally said. "I like how different it is from Korea where I came

from. I love Central Park and just walking around the streets has given me a lot of new discoveries and insights about your culture."

"I know. New York is interesting in that way. The people here are very diverse and you would really meet people from all walks of life." Warren commented.

"How long would you be staying here?"

"I‟ll be here for a month. I just arrived last week." Ga eul replied.

"I guess that would give you time to really roam around the city. If you want I can show you around." Warren offered as he gave Ga eul a warm smile. "Did you come here with someone?"

"No, it‟s just me. My husband is a bit busy from work and couldn‟t leave the country." Ga eul answered with a sad smile as she thought about Yi Jung.

"That‟s too bad. What does your husband do?" He asked curiously.

"He runs a museum back in Korea but he‟s really a potter by profession." Ga eul said proudly.

"A potter?" Warren‟s ears perked up with interest. "I‟m guessing he‟s the one who got you interested with the arts. What‟s your husband‟s name if you don‟t mind me asking?"

"So Yi Jung" Ga eul replied and she felt her cheeks heating up. She had been married to Yi Jung for six months but even until now she still couldn‟t help but blush everytime she referred to him as her husband.

Warren‟s eyes widened in surprise, it seems as if he had recognized Yi Jung‟s name. "Your husband is So Yi Jung?" He asked in awe. "He‟s one of the most talented artists in Korea. He‟s a known prodigy in pottery making since he successfully made a name for himself at such a young age."

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped in surprise. She knew that Yi Jung was a great potter and he was extremely well known in Korea but it had never entered Ga eul‟s mind that he could be popular in other countries as well.

"You know him?" She asked in surprise.

"Well, I don‟t know him personally." Warren answered with a small smile. "But I have certainly heard a lot about him. You‟re husband is well known in the art world. I am an artist myself, a sculptor that is."

"I never realized he was that popular." Ga eul commented as she tried to take in the recent revelation that her husband was more popular than she had thought he was. "I guess to me he‟s just always been Yi Jung."

"Looks like both of you are very close. How long have you been married?" Warren asked.

"We‟ve been only married for six months but we‟ve been good friends for seven years before we got married." Ga eul replied.

"Looks like you‟ve built a strong foundation for your relationship. I‟ve heard that marriages have a good chance of working out if the couple had started out as friends." Warren commented. "Me and my wife had been married for three years but we‟ve been friends since kindergarten."

"Oh that‟s wonderful!" Ga eul exclaimed. "You‟re childhood sweethearts" She said dreamily. The hopeless romantic in her was swooning at that. It was such a wonderful love story. "Have you always known that you love her?" She asked curiously.

"Actually, it took me awhile to realize that I loved her." Warren admitted sheepishly. "I think we were already in college when I finally came into my senses. I had been involved in one failed relationship after the next and couldn‟t figure out what I was doing wrong. Finally I realized that I was looking at all the wrong places and that the one that I had been looking for was right in front of me all along."

Ga eul could feel her eyes tearing up as she listened to Warren‟s story. She couldn‟t help but think how similar his story was with hers and Yi Jung‟s. The only difference about it was that Warren‟s story had ended with a happy ending while her story still had an uncertain future ahead.

"That‟s a beautiful story Warren. I can‟t wait to meet your wife." Ga eul said with a wistful smile.

"Why don‟t we go out for lunch some time? I‟m sure you guys would hit it off. I‟ll give you my number and you can give me a call when you‟re free." Warren suggested.

"That‟s a great suggestion." Ga eul agreed excitedly. She was happy to be finally making friends.

That night Ga eul was clearing up the dishes after having dinner. She glanced at the watch and checked the time. Yi Jung would be calling in awhile. Eversince their conversation at Central Park, Yi Jung had started calling Ga eul regularly usually during the evenings. Ga eul had always looked forward to these

phonecalls as it had lessened her loneliness quite a bit. It was true that she still missed Yi Jung very much but at least hearing his voice every night had eased the pain a little. Just as she was putting the last dish away, her phone rang and Ga eul rushed to answer it.

"Yeboseyo" She answered breathlessly.

Yi Jung‟s laugh was heard from the other line. "Missed me Ga eul? Looks like you couldn‟t wait to talk to me." He teased her.

If Yi Jung was standing in front of her she would have stuck out her tongue childishly at him. Yi Jung could be so annoying sometimes. "Yah, Yi Jung stop teasing me!" Ga eul exclaimed.

Yi Jung chuckled in response. He did enjoy having Ga eul worked up. He loved teasing her all the time in order to find out how her reactions would be. He had always found her reactions so adorable.

"How was your day Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked as she tried to change the subject before Yi Jung could think of teasing her any further.

"It was pretty tiring." Yi Jung said. "We‟re trying to acquire some pottery pieces from the 17th century and the paper work is killing me."

"That‟s too bad." Ga eul remarked sympathetically. She wanted so much to reach out and give him a hug. She had always been there for him everytime he had a stressful day and it was killing her right now that she could not be there physically to support him and make him feel better. "How can I help you?" She asked in concern.

"No need to worry about it Ga eul, just enjoy your trip. You don‟t have to worry about matters concerning the museum. Omma is giving me a hand since this is a delicate acquisition for us." He assured her. "Anyway, tell me about your day?"

"Oh, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today." Ga eul recounted excitedly.

"That‟s good" Yi Jung replied approvingly. "It‟s one of the best museums. How did you find it?"

"It was very beautiful and all the art pieces were very interesting. I think I spent my entire day there just looking and making my way through all of the exhibits." Ga eul said. "Oh, and by the way…" Ga eul added.

"What is it Ga eul?" Yi Jung asked curiously.

"I met someone today and he‟s really nice." Ga eul said enthusiastically as she remembered her meeting with Warren. She was very excited in telling Yi Jung

about the first friend that she had made that she did not notice Yi Jung‟s sharp intake of breath.

"You met someone?" Yi Jung said in a distressed tone but Ga eul was too fired up about her story to notice.

"Yes" Ga eul confirmed. "He‟s a sculptor and I met him at the museum. His name‟s Warren Hunter and he‟s really very friendly. I think he‟s the same age as me. He accompanied me the whole day at the museum and shared a lot of facts about most of the art pieces."

"I could do that too Ga eul." Yi Jung responded defensively.

Ga eul gave a small laugh. She didn‟t seem to notice Yi Jung‟s distress. "I know Yi Jung. I‟m sure both of you would have a lot in common."

"What does he look like?" Yi Jung asked warily. He wasn‟t very comfortable with the way Ga eul was talking about this Warren guy.

Ga eul was surprised with Yi Jung‟s question but answered him anyway. "Well, he has blond hair and blue eyes and I think he‟s around six feet."

Yi Jung was quiet so Ga eul decided to continue with her story. "He offered me to give me a tour around New York."

"He what?!" Yi Jung shouted.

"Is there something wrong Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked innocently.

Yi Jung took short labored breaths as he tried to calm down. No need to be over reacting. He reminded himself. But he was starting to feel numb all over and a

headache was starting to form.

When Yi Jung did not respond Ga eul continued on. "He invited me for lunch and he said he‟s going…"

"I have to go Ga eul." Yi Jung interrupted while Ga eul stopped in surprise. What‟s wrong with Yi Jung? Ga eul wondered to herself.

"Are you okay Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked tentatively.

"I‟m fine Ga eul. I just remembered that I forgot to finish something for the museum and it‟s needed by tomorrow. I‟ll just call you again." He said as he tried

to act normal as possible.

"Okay Yi Jung" Ga eul said sadly. She was disappointed that their conversation was cut short.

When Yi Jung had finally put down the phone Ga eul wondered what has gotten over her husband. Why did he end the call so abruptly? She was just about to

tell him that Warren was bringing along his wife during the lunch and she couldn‟t wait to meet her. Oh well, maybe there really was an emergency at the

museum. Ga eul sighed as she looked out the window of her penthouse apartment. It looks like she has to wait again until tomorrow before she could hear her

husband‟s voice again.


	27. An Epiphany

Yi Jung grabbed his car keys as soon as he put down the phone. He had to get away. If he stayed in the house he was going to go crazy. Yi Jung opened the front door and breathed in the crisp evening air. He was thankful for the shot of fresh air that filled his lungs. The pain in his heart was too much that it was suffocating him. He had a difficult time breathing and he took in short labored breaths as he rushed towards his car. It was as if a huge rock had landed on his heart and the burden was too heavy to bear. He had never ever felt this way before and it felt like absolute torture. If only he could rip out his heart and take it out of his body maybe all of the pain that he was feeling would go away.

Yi Jung sat on the driver‟s seat and banged the steering wheel in frustration. Was this how jealousy felt like? If it was then he did not like it at all. It was eating up his entire being and he could not think straight. He had never felt the feeling of jealousy until now. All through out his life he had never had a reason to be jealous of anything. Women came and went and usually it was him who dumped them first when the novelty had already worn off. He had never allowed himself to be close enough to anyone or develop an attachment to them.

Yi Jung struggled with his feelings as he turned on the engine and started driving away. He did not have a specific destination in mind. All he knew was that he had to leave. Yi Jung kept the windows rolled down and relished on the cool breeze that whipped through his hair. He had the urge to press down on the gas pedal but he knew that it would not be a wise decision given his current state.

Yi Jung had wanted to shout out in frustration. What was wrong with him? This was so unlike him at all. He had always been able to keep his cool and nothing could ruffle him at all. He could not believe that all it took was a single statement from Ga eul to drive him over the edge.

I met someone… Ga eul‟s voice lingered on his head and repeated itself over and over in his mind like a broken tape recorder.

He couldn‟t understand why he was jealous in the first place. Ga eul was his friend. Okay, so she was a friend who he couldn‟t stop kissing but still, she was still a friend all the same. They had agreed to get married to fulfill his mother‟s condition but they also had an understanding that she could leave anytime she wanted to. Ga eul was not his possession. Then why does he feel so possessive of her? Why does he have the urge to break something just because another man had paid attention to her?

Yi Jung felt lost and he knew who could help him find his way back. He made a sharp turn and headed towards the F4 lounge.

Woo Bin was playing a video game while Ji Hoo was listening to tunes in his Ipod when Yi Jung entered the F4 lounge. Both guys looked up at him in surprise since they were not expecting him to be there.

"Yo, man you look like hell!" Woo Bin commented as soon as he spotted his best friend. He scanned Yi Jung from head to toe and noticed that his friend was not in his usual tiptop shape. His usual impeccable suit was wrinkled while his tie was askew. His hair was windblown and there was a noticeable 4 o‟clock shadow on his jaw. Most of all, the dark circles under his eyes were hard to miss and he looked exhausted as if he hadn‟t slept for several days.

Yi Jung headed straight to the bar and got himself a drink. His friends looked at him in surprise as he downed a glass of Scotch in one gulp. As he was about to pour himself another glass, Woo Bin grabbed his arm and stopped him. He could sense that something was wrong and if that was the case Yi Jung needed to stay sober in order to fix whatever it is.

"What‟s wrong Yi Jung?" Woo Bin asked in concern. He took the glass gently from Yi Jung and led him towards the sofa where Ji Hoo was waiting with a worried look in his eyes.

"Did something happen to Ga eul?" Ji Hoo asked softly. He knew that only Ga eul could cause his friend to act this way.

Yi Jung closed his eyes and leaned back to rest his head. He mumbled something that both Woo Bin and Ji Hoo did not catch.

"What did you say Yi Jung?" Woo Bin asked as he leaned a little closer.

"She met someone." Yi Jung whispered again

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo looked at each other. This does not seem to look good.

"What do you mean Yi Jung?" Ji Hoo probed gently. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding.

"She met someone in New York." Yi Jung repeated again as he opened his eyes and looked at Ji Hoo.

Ji Hoo was overwhelmed by the look of pain that he saw in Yi Jung‟s eyes.

"How exactly did she tell you?" Woo Bin asked cautiously.

"Please don‟t let me repeat it again." Yi Jung almost begged as he dropped his head back against the couch.

"What are you going to do about it then?" Ji Hoo inquired. His was curious on what his friend‟s course of action would be. Had he finally realized that he was in love with his wife or would he let go of her without a fight?

"I don‟t know."Yi Jung answered defeatedly.

Woo Bin suddenly leaned forward with a determined look on his face. "Then let her go." He told his friend bluntly.

Yi Jung‟s eyes snapped open and he turned sharply towards his friend. He opened and closed his mouth several times but no sound came out. Woo Bin knew at that instant that letting her go was not an option for Yi Jung.

"What did you say?" Yi Jung asked when he finally found his voice.

"I said let her go." Woo Bin repeated in a matter of fact manner. He watched in fascination as all the blood disappeared on Yi Jung‟s face until he was as white as a sheet. Yi Jung and Woo Bin stared at each other for a few minutes until Woo Bin‟s face broke into a small smile.

"You can‟t, can you." He said triumphantly. Yi Jung dropped his gaze and looked at the floor. That was the answer Woo Bin was waiting for.

"Tell me, why can‟t you let her go?" Woo Bin challenged his best friend.

Yi Jung groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. "I don‟t know! I don‟t know!" He exclaimed helplessly. "Maybe I‟m a selfish friend."

Woo Bin closed his eyes in frustration. Apparently his friend was more dense then they thought. He glanced at Ji Hoo and said "Do you have a bat I can borrow? I just need to knock some sense into someone."

"I don‟t have a bat Woo Bin." Ji Hoo replied. "But I do have a guitar. Would that suffice?"

"Guys, this is not a joking matter." Yi Jung protested.

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo looked seriously at their friend. "We‟re not joking Yi Jung." Woo Bin replied.

Just then Jun Pyo entered the lounge and looked quizzically at his friends. "Is there something wrong?" He asked as he approached the sofa where his three friends were converged.

"Can you help us out?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Sure" Jun Pyo replied. "What do you want me to do?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

"Can you tell us how it was for you when you went to the States and had to leave Jan di here for six months?" Ji Hoo asked and Jun Pyo looked at him in bewilderment. He gave Ji Hoo a questioning look but the latter just nodded his head as if urging him to answer.

Jun Pyo took a deep breath in order to respond even if he had no idea what this was about. "It was hell." He started to say. Woo Bin noticed Yi Jung‟s ears perk up in interest even if he kept his eyes closed. "I had difficulty going to sleep at night and I had no appetite at all. I was not in the mood to do anything and my studies that time had suffered a lot. Everything I saw reminded me of her and it felt as if time had dragged on forever. I looked forward to our nightly phone calls because I knew that if I could just hear her voice…"

"Everything would finally be alright." Yi Jung finished for him. Jun Pyo looked at Yi Jung in surprise. "That‟s right." Jun Pyo agreed. "How did you know that?"

Yi Jung looked at Jun Pyo with a stunned expression. It was as if his friend had described him. Everything that Jun Pyo had said was true in his case.

"If I didn‟t love her so much, it wouldn‟t have been that bad." He heard Jun Pyo comment and his jaw dropped in surprise.

"What did you say?" Yi Jung asked his voice was barely a whisper. It was as if the last pieces of the puzzle were finally settling in place.

"I said I wouldn‟t have felt that bad if I did not love her so much." Jun Pyo repeated.

Love? Yi Jung wondered in awe. Was it possible that he was in love with his wife? He had never really been in love before and had no clue how it felt. But Jun Pyo had experienced the same things as he did and he was sure that he was in love with Jan di. Had he been in love with Ga eul all along but did not realize it because of his stupidity?

He had always had the urge to be near her all the time. He had enjoyed her company immensely and he had to admit that he had experienced extreme pleasure by just kissing her. Was it possible that what he thought was lust was not lust all along? The last wheels clicked into place as Yi Jung stared into

space. Suddenly, his epiphany came fast and hard and he almost staggered at the sheer intensity of it.

I love her! He thought to himself and he felt the heavy burden in his heart suddenly lift up from inside him. Suddenly he was soaring with the revelation that struck him so swiftly. All of those sleepless nights and lonely days had eventually made sense and he was glad to know that he was not going crazy. He finally had a label for the unfamiliar feeling that haunted him day and night refusing to leave him. Love- he was in love with Ga eul.

Still riding high from his epiphany, Yi Jung stood up abruptly causing his friends to gaze at him in surprise. "Yi Jung are you alright?" Woo Bin asked worriedly. What was happening to his best friend?

Yi Jung did not hear his best friend talking to him. He was too wrapped up thinking about his immediate plans. There was one thing left to do and nobody was going to stop him from doing it.

His feet started taking him towards the exit as his mind was already drifting away, busy making plans.

"Yi Jung!" Woo Bin shouted. It was his last attempt to catch his friend‟s attention.

Yi Jung was almost at the door when he stopped and turned towards his friends. The rest of the guys were surprised to find a calm and serene Yi Jung looking back at them. It was a far cry from the distraught and problematic man who arrived at the lounge a few minutes ago.

"Where are you going man?" Woo Bin asked curiously.

Yi Jung gave them a smirk as his eyes lighted up in anticipation. "I‟m going to New York." He announced in a strong, determined voice and turned around to leave before his friends could even have time to react.


	28. Twin Souls Reunited

Yi Jung fidgeted nervously in his seat as he waited for the plane to land at the JFK airport in New York. He had taken the first flight he could get out of Korea as soon as he had packed a small overnight to take with him. He had not bothered packing an entire suitcase as it would take up so much of his time and he figured that he could buy anything he needed in New York.

On his way to the airport, he called his mother to ask if she could take over the museum for awhile. At first he was a little worried how his mother was going to react to his plans. Technically he was abandoning his work at a moment‟s notice and his mother was never the type to condone such things. Much to his surprise, his mother seemed to be very enthusiastic when he had informed her about his sudden trip to New York. She had even encouraged him to stay as long as he wants and not to worry about the affairs in the museum.

Yi Jung settled back on his seat and tried to relax. Ga eul had no idea that he was coming since he wanted to surprise her. Initially his plan was to tell her outright that he loved her as soon as he arrived but then he realized that it might come as a shock to her. It had also struck him that she might not love him in return. He was so caught up with his own revelation that he had not stop to think about if she felt the same way towards him.

After mulling it over for hours Yi Jung had finally decided that he will keep his feelings for now. Instead he had resolved on courting her. If it so happens that she did not love him in return, he was going to make her fall for him. Letting her go was not an option. He realized that he did not have the strength to do that anymore.

Yi Jung pulled out his phone as soon as he stepped out of the airport. He contacted Ga eul‟s body guard and asked him where Ga eul was right now. Yi Jung smiled as soon as he got the location and quickly entered the car that he had rented for the trip.

Ga eul looked down at the edge of the building and marveled on how high she was. She clutched her coat tightly against her as she shivered from the cold bitter air that was biting on her skin. The view was amazing. She could see the entire city from where she was standing.

After a week in New York, Ga eul had finally decided to visit the infamous Empire State Building that she had seen so many times on the movies that she had watched. It was every bit as beautiful as how she had seen it in the movies but she couldn‟t help but feel lonely that she was here all alone.

Ga eul glanced around her and gazed at the people there. She spotted some tourists taking pictures, parents with their children walking around and young couples cuddling each other. Ga eul felt a pang of loneliness as she watched the couples hug each other as if protecting each other from the bitter cold. What she would give just to have Yi Jung here beside her.

Yi Jung sighed impatiently as the car slowly inched its way through the New York traffic. He had forgotten how bad the traffic could be in New York. They had been stuck in traffic for

almost thrity minutes now and he had sent a message to Ga eul‟s body guard to keep her there until he arrives.

After another fifteen minutes had passed Yi Jung had finally decided to step out of the car and walk the rest of the way. Yi Jung‟s heart was pounding crazily as soon as he reached the building. He took several deep breaths to calm his nerves as he made his way to the top.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Yi Jung had immediately felt a certain feeling of contentment. He had spotted Ga eul leaning against the railing looking down at the view. His long restless heart had finally settled as if it had finally found what it had lost. Not taking his eyes off Ga eul, he took a few steps towards her but stopped just a few feet away. He did not call her attention. Instead he had contented himself in watching her, marveling at her as if he had just seen her for the first time. Yi Jung slipped his hands into his pockets and gave a small smile as he watched her.

Ga eul gazed out into the city without actually seeing anything. Her thoughts were caught up with memories of Yi Jung. She was missing him so much and it hurt not to be able to tell him that. He had not called last night and she was worried that he might be mad at her. He had ended his call so abruptly the last time that Ga eul was worried that she had said something wrong. Ga eul hung her head. She hoped that Yi Jung was okay.

Slowly she turned around to head towards the exit. It was getting late and it was time that she headed home. She had already wanted to go home an hour ago but her body guard had requested if they could just stay just a few more minutes. She had found that a little odd but agreed anyway. As she looked up she suddenly froze and her heart stopped. Standing just a few feet away from her was Yi Jung. He was looking at her with a small smile on his face. Ga eul blinked several times just in case she was seeing things. Had she been missing him so much that she was already hallucinating?

Ga eul stood unmoving as she stared at Yi Jung. She was still trying to decide whether he was real or not. Yi Jung gazed back at her but did not move as well. With a pounding heart, she started making tentative steps towards him. She did not take her eyes off him just in case he disappeared into thin air.

"Yi Jung?" Ga eul whispered uncertainly when she was finally near enough.

Yi Jung smirked at her. He had wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms but he controlled himself. There will be a lot of time for that later. "Miss me?" He couldn‟t help but tease her. He watched in amusement as Ga eul‟s expression changed from uncertainty to understanding and then shock.

"Oh my gosh, it really is you!" Ga eul exclaimed. She couldn‟t quite believe that he was actually here. "What are you doing here?!"

"Why? Don‟t you want me here?" Yi Jung asked. He couldn‟t hide the hurt expression on his face.

Ga eul was alarmed that she might have hurt Yi Jung‟s feelings. "No, it‟s not that" She hurriedly corrected herself. "It‟s just that I wasn‟t expecting you here.

Wouldn‟t omma get mad that you left the museum?" She asked curiously.

"I did tell her that I was leaving." Yi Jung informed Ga eul. "It was a little surprising though that she didn‟t scold me about it. In fact it appeared like she was very excited about it and couldn‟t wait for me to leave."

Ga eul blushed as soon as she heard Yi Jung‟s comment. Of course omma would let him leave. This was part of her plan after all. She was sure that Madame So was smiling with glee that her plans were working out well. She has got to hand it to Yi Jung‟s mom. She really does know her son very well.

"So, how long would you be staying here?" Ga eul asked curiously.

"As long as you want" Yi Jung answered with a smile. "Omma said that I could have the rest of the month off. She would take over the museum while I‟m away."

"She said that?" Ga eul asked embarrassingly. Couldn‟t Yi Jung‟s mom be more obvious? Fortunately Yi Jung did not seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. "That‟s great!" Ga eul exclaimed as soon as she had fully comprehended Yi Jung‟s words. Madame So‟s plan had worked like a charm. Yi Jung had followed her to New York on his own volition. However, he hasn‟t said anything about loving her yet. Ga eul‟s face fell.

Yi Jung examined Ga eul‟s face and noticed that she was already turning a little blue. "You‟re freezing Ga eul!" He exclaimed as he reached out and took her hands. They were as cold as ice. "How long have you been up here?" He asked in concern. He engulfed her delicate hands with his own as he tried to put some heat back into it.

"I‟m not really sure, three hours maybe?" Ga eul answered. She was looking at their intertwined hands and she was trying so hard to remain calm and composed. Oh, the things Yi Jung could do to her senses.

"Why did you stay that long?" Yi Jung scolded her. "You could have hypothermia."

"I‟m perfectly bundled up Yi Jung." Ga eul assured him with a smile.

"So, have you found him yet?" Yi Jung asked suddenly.

Ga eul stared at him in surprise. What ever does he mean? "I don‟t understand what you‟re saying Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked in a baffled manner.

"Remember the time when we were watching Sleepless in Seattle and you said that you might find someone on top of the Empire State Building just like what happened to the heroine?" Yi Jung reminded her.

Ga eul smothered a laugh. Yi Jung could be so silly sometimes. She couldn‟t believe that he even remembered that. It had been months since that happened. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I did." Ga eul responded with a teasing manner.

Apparently Yi Jung had not perceived it as a joke and he felt as if a bucket of cold ice had been thrown at him. "You did?" He asked in distress. Had he been too late? "Who is it?" He asked softly. He really did not want to know but he couldn‟t resist asking.

Ga eul reached out and gently tapped the tip of Yi Jung‟s nose. "You" She whispered with a smile. "You‟re the one who found me, remember?" She continued in a teasing manner.

Yi Jung felt a wave of relief wash over him. For a moment there he had thought that she really had met someone before he had gotten to her. He was about to relax when he suddenly remembered the guy Ga eul was talking about on the phone. He tossed the memory out as soon as he remembered it. He was Ga eul‟s husband he told himself and he was going to win her back at all cost. Yi Jung reached for Ga eul‟s hand again. "You‟re hands are still cold." He remarked. He brought them close to his mouth and blew into them. He saw Ga eul shiver. Not being able to stop himself, he brought Ga eul‟s hands to his lips and kissed her palms softly. He then proceeded to kissing the tips of each of her fingers.

"Yi Jung" Ga eul whispered in a hoarse voice.

Yi Jung smiled and released her hands. He then shrugged off his coat and placed it around her shoulders.

"Let‟s go before you catch a cold." He said as he held out his arm to her. Ga eul smiled shyly at him as she reached out and wound her arms around his and

they proceeded towards the elevator together.


	29. Chipping Down the Barriers

Ga eul turned on the lights of her penthouse apartment as Yi Jung followed close behind her. She placed her purse on the coffee table and shrugged off her coat as well as Yi Jung‟s. Yi Jung glanced around the apartment taking in his surroundings. He had to admit that his mother had good taste with regards to selecting abodes. The apartment was luxurious without being too ostentatious.

"This place is really nice." Yi Jung commented as he took a seat on one of the wingback chairs in the sitting room.

"All the credit goes to your omma" Ga eul replied with a smile as she headed towards the kitchen to prepare dinner for both of them.

Yi Jung stared out of the huge glass windows. He couldn‟t believe that he was really here in New York. A few hours ago he was alone and missing Ga eul. Now he was already here with her. Close enough to reach out and touch her if he wished to, to wrap his arms around her, to claim her lips with his. Yi Jung couldn‟t help but smile as he thought of all this. The things that he wanted to do with Ga eul and more.

He slowly rose from his seat and headed towards the kitchen. Ga eul was busy preparing the ingredients for the dish she was cooking that she did not notice him in the doorway. Silently he walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Ga eul‟s heart jumped as soon as she felt Yi Jung‟s arms around her. "I‟m preparing Bulgogi for tonight. Is that okay with you?" Ga eul asked as she willed herself to stay calm.

"You know that anything you cook is okay with me." Yi Jung said with a smirk.

Ga eul nudged him with her elbows. "Stop teasing Yi Jung!" She exclaimed as she turned around to face him. "Why don‟t you just help me cook?" Ga eul said with a teasing smile.

"What ever you wish Ga eul." Yi Jung replied with a sexy grin that caused Ga eul‟s heart to skip a beat.

Trying to hide the blush that stained her cheeks, Ga eul thrust an apron into Yi Jung‟s arms and turned around to focus on her cooking. Much to Ga eul‟s dismay, she realized that asking Yi Jung to help her cook had not been a good idea. Inspite of his talented hands, Yi Jung‟s ability in cutting and dicing vegetables was non existent. She had to show him how it was done several times and even after all that he was still unable to do it correctly. They finally finished cooking after three hours. Ga eul would have finished it in an hour if she had done it on her own. However she did not have the heart to tell Yi Jung that since he seemed to be so proud of himself for his accomplishment in the kitchen. It was already past eight o‟clock when they were finally able to settle down to eat and Ga eul was famished.

"This is delicious Ga eul." Yi Jung praised her after he swallowed his first spoonful of bulgogi. Ga eul couldn‟t help but blush from Yi Jung‟s compliment.

"I really missed your cooking." Yi Jung commented with a small smile causing Ga eul‟s heart to swell with happiness.

"Stop joking Yi Jung." Ga eul reprimanded him although she couldn‟t help but smile back at him.

"I‟m not joking Ga eul. Look at me. I‟ve lost so much weight." Yi Jung argued as he looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

For the first time since Yi Jung arrived, Ga eul scrutinized him carefully and was alarmed at what she had seen. Yi Jung was not joking when he said he had lost weight. Apart from that, the dark circles under his eyes were very evident and Ga eul‟s heart constricted with the thought that he might have suffered.

"Come to think of it, you look terrible Yi Jung!" Ga eul exclaimed in concern.

"Gee, thanks Ga eul" Yi Jung replied sarcastically but smiled while doing so in order to let Ga eul know that he was just joking.

Ga eul rose from her seat and approached him. She cupped his face between her hands and stared worriedly at him. She lightly brushed the pads of her thumbs through his dark circles and Yi Jung closed his eyes with a sigh. "You look so tired Yi Jung." Ga eul whispered.

"It was a stressful week." Yi Jung explained weakly. He couldn‟t help but savor the heat of Ga eul‟s palms agains his cheeks.

"I think you better get some rest. I‟m sure you‟re pretty tired after the long flight you had to endure." Ga eul said as she released him and started gathering their dirty plates. "Why don‟t you get dressed and I‟ll finish up in the kitchen."

"Let me help you." Yi Jung started to say but Ga eul interrupted him.

"No, Yi Jung. Just freshen up and rest. I‟ll be with you in awhile." Ga eul said firmly.

Yi Jung reluctantly stood up and headed towards the bathroom. He didn‟t want to leave Ga eul but she was right. He really needed a hot shower to soothe his tired muscles.

After thirty minutes Ga eul finally entered the bedroom and found Yi Jung lying on the bed watching television. "How are you feeling?" Ga eul asked Yi Jung as soon as she entered the door.

"I‟m feeling much better." Yi Jung replied with a smile as he looked up from the program he was watching.

"That‟s good." Ga eul said with a smile. "I‟ll just be in the bathroom."

Yi Jung followed Ga eul with his gaze as she entered the bathroom. He had a strong urge to follow her into the bathroom. To hold her close to him and feel the cascading water caressing their bodies. Yi Jung shook his head as he tried to dismiss the not so innocent thoughts running through his head. He turned his head towards the television and tried to focus on the program instead.

Ga eul emerged from the bathroom fifteen minutes later wearing a simple, white cotton nightshirt. Yi Jung glanced at her and swallowed hard. Ga eul approached the bed and got on the other side while Yi Jung turned off the television and settled under the covers. As Ga eul was about to fix some pillows in the middle of the bed just as they always did, Yi Jung reached out and grabbed her hand. Ga eul looked at him in surprise. "Is there something wrong Yi

Jung?" Ga eul asked.

"Um, is it okay if we don‟t put the pillows in between anymore?" Yi Jung stammered.

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped in surprise. She was too shocked to speak.

"It‟s just that the bed is quite small and it would be a little cramped if we still put the pillows between us." Yi Jung tried to reason out.

"Okay, if you want to." Ga eul replied shyly as she moved the pillows away.

Yi Jung turned off the lights and the room was swathed in darkness. Ga eul could instantly feel the electricity in the air. Yi Jung was just a few feet away from

her and his presence was palpable.

"Ga eul" Yi Jung‟s soft voice was heard in the dark.

"Hmm" Ga eul responded as she turned over towards Yi Jung‟s voice.

"I feel a little cold. Is it okay if I move a little closer to you?" Yi Jung murmured.

Ga eul could feel her whole body warm up at Yi Jung‟s request. "Okay" Ga eul whispered back. She held her breath as she felt the bed shift. Yi Jung moved a little closer until she felt his arm wound around her waist. She could feel her heart thudding like crazy as she felt Yi Jung pull her closer against him. The heat of his body against hers was causing havoc to her senses.

Ga eul took deep and steady breaths as she tried to steady her beating heart. Eventually her eyelids grew heavy and she succumbed to a peaceful sleep.

Yi Jung lay in the darkness as he listened to Ga eul‟s steady breathing. Ga eul had already fallen asleep but Yi Jung was still wide awake. He still could not

believe that Ga eul was in his arms right now. He moved his fingers absent mindedly against Ga eul‟s arms and savored the smooth silky feel of her skin. He buried his face against her neck and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. Unable to resist himself, he rained soft kisses against her throat until Ga eul shifted in her sleep. Yi Jung had never felt so contented in his life. Here safe in Ga eul‟s arms is exactly where he wanted to be.

"I missed you so much" He leaned over and whispered to her ear even though he knew that she would not be able to hear him. "I love you."


	30. Unexpected Truths and Revelations

Ga eul slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by the morning sunshine that was shining through the huge glass windows in her bedroom. Somebody had drawn the curtains and Ga eul squinted against the bright light. She turned towards her side and found herself alone in the bed. Had she just been dreaming that Yi Jung was here? She reached out for one of the pillows and hugged it against her. It smelled faintly of Yi Jung‟s perfume. No She thought with a smile. Yi Jung is really here.

She settled herself back into the bed dragging the pillow with her. She recalled everything that had happened yesterday and couldn‟t help but smile at the memory. Yi Jung had found her at the Empire State Building. Afterwards they had gone home to have dinner together and had fallen asleep in each other‟s arms.

Ga eul couldn‟t believe that Yi Jung was actually here. They had been apart for a week and she had missed him like crazy. She was actually giving herself another week before telling omma that she wanted to go home. But now she did not have to do that because Yi Jung had followed her here. She couldn‟t help remembering omma‟s words when she had first told Ga eul about her plan.

"Trust me Ga eul." She had said. "Give him a week or two and he‟ll fly himself to New York to be by your side." She had declared confidently. Ga eul was quite skeptical at first but Madame So had been very confident with her conviction that everything will go according to her plan that Ga eul could not help but give in.

Ga eul sighed as she stared at the ceiling. Everything was going perfectly. The only thing missing now was Yi Jung‟s declaration of love that Madame So had predicted would happen. Last night, somewhere in her unconscious mind she had heard Yi Jung tell her that he loved her. She wasn‟t sure though if it had been real or if it was just a dream that her mind and her heart

had conjured up. She did not have the guts to ask Yi Jung about it. What was she going to say anyway? Would she say Hey Yi Jung, did you tell me you love me last night? She was sure she was going to faint first before she could actually get the whole question out of her mouth.

Ga eul finally decided to get herself out of bed and search for her husband. After putting on a robe she headed towards the bathroom and found it empty. She then left the confines of her bedroom to search for him outside. To her surprise she found Yi Jung in the kitchen arranging a basket of bagels and muffins. There was also a huge plate of eggs, bacon and ham on the table as well as a jug of orange juice. The smell of coffee filled the air as hot coffee brewed in the coffee maker.

"Before you say anything, I would like to tell you that I did not cook anything here. I had them all ordered at the small café downstairs." Yi Jung said with a smile.

Ga eul smiled back. It had amused her immensely that her husband could joke about his cooking skills or the lack of it that is. "Well, they smell really good. You did a good job in ordering them." She replied teasingly.

Yi Jung and Ga eul enjoyed a hearty breakfast together. When the last bagel was finally gone, Ga eul stood up to clear away the dishes but Yi Jung stopped her. "Let me do that." He offered. "Why don‟t you shower and get dressed."

Ga eul was initially wary in leaving her husband alone in the kitchen but then she figured that Yi Jung could manage the dish washer just fine and she did not have to worry. "Alright" She finally agreed. "I‟ll be ready in a few minutes."

Ga eul emerged from the bedroom thirty minutes later all showered and dressed. She was wearing dark blue skin tight denim jeans and a pink and white cashmere sweater. Her legs were clad with brown knee high leather boots and her hair hung loosely around her back in soft waves.

Yi Jung looked up from the book he was reading and gave her a sexy smile. Without taking his eyes off her, he stood up from the chair and approached her. Ga eul watched him advance towards her while her heart pounded loudly against her chest.

When he was close enough, Yi Jung slipped his fingers on the belt hooks of her jeans and pulled her closer to him. "Have I ever told you that you look ravishing today?" He asked her with a smirk.

Ga eul flushed deep red with his comment and Yi Jung gave out a soft chuckle as he saw Ga eul‟s reaction. She hit him lightly on his shoulders as if reprimanding him for embarrassing her but Yi Jung did not seem to pay attention. He was too busy looking at her ruby red lips that he had every intention of kissing. Before Ga eul could react, Yi Jung bent down and claimed her lips. This was their first kiss since they had been apart and Ga eul could not help but cling into him tightly. Her fingers found their way into his soft hair while his hands skimmed down her body grazing the sides of her breasts before resting them at the curve of her back as he drew her closer to him.

She opened her mouth and allowed him to stroke her tongue with his. She had been so wrapped up with their kiss that she had not realized that they were moving. By the time they broke apart she found Yi Jung sitting on the couch while she was straddling his lap.

Ga eul blushed as she realized their position. She tried to move away but Yi Jung held her down. "And where do you think you‟re going?" He asked seductively.

"I..I.." Ga eul stuttered but she was unable to let out even one syllable.

What ever she was trying to say, she had instantly forgotten when Yi Jung leaned forward to shower her throat with soft kisses. Yi Jung pushed her sweater

aside to continue his kisses on her collar bone. "Yi Jung" She had meant to stop him but her voice came out as a moan rather than a reprimand.

Yi Jung finally pulled away, stopping his torture towards her. Ga eul was breathing heavily now. What had gotten into Yi Jung? She wondered. It was true that they had kissed dozens of times before but Yi Jung was always careful in where to draw the line. But now, he seemed to be throwing caution into the wind and his inhibitions had lessened a lot. Not that she was complaining though. She was just not used to him being so enamorous towards her.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Yi Jung asked with a smile. He still refused to let her leave the position she was in.

"I had planned to meet Warren for lunch today." Ga eul started to say. She watched in fascination as Yi Jung‟s face suddenly glowered. Was Yi Jung jealous?

Ga eul thought in awe. She had never known Yi Jung to be the jealous type. Hope suddenly surged in Ga eul‟s heart. If Yi Jung was jealous of Warren could that actually mean that he might feel something for her?

Ga eul looked at her husband‟s sullen expression and fought the urge to laugh. Of all the people to be jealous of, he was jealous of a married man who happens to love his wife very much.

Ga eul finally decided to put an end to her husband‟s misery. "I‟m sure he would love to meet you. I couldn‟t wait to meet his wife either." She said.

Ga eul watched with interest as Yi Jung‟s face shifted from a frown to a look of confusion and then to relief as Ga eul‟s words slowly sunk in. "He‟s married?" Yi Jung asked. He tried to hide the joy from his face but failed miserably.

Ga eul bit her lower lip as she tried very hard not to laugh. "Yup, he‟s been married for three years to his childhood sweetheart." Ga eul explained.

"I guess we can meet him for lunch." Yi Jung finally agreed causing Ga eul to chuckle.

Yi Jung and Ga eul met Warren and his wife for lunch at a small café down town. It was almost noon when the couple entered the restaurant and found Warren and his wife already sitting in one of the tables.

"Ga eul, I‟m so happy you could make it." Warren said with a smile as he stood up from his seat to meet Ga eul. A beautiful woman with light brown hair was sitting next to him.

"I hope you don‟t mind. I brought someone along. My husband surprised me yesterday." Ga eul replied with a smile as she gestured towards Yi Jung.

Warren turned towards Yi Jung, his eyes lighting up in excitement. "So Yi Jung" He exclaimed. "It‟s a pleasure to meet you. I‟ve always admired your works."

He commented as he extended his hand for a handshake.

Yi Jung responded with a warm smile as he reached out his hand to return Warren‟s handshake. "It‟s nice to meet you Warren. My wife has told me about you over the phone."

"By the way" Warren said as he gestured to the brown haired woman beside him. "I would like you to meet my wife Laura. Laura, this is Ga eul and her husband Yi Jung."

Laura extended a delicate hand towards Yi Jung and Ga eul. "It‟s a pleasure to meet you both. My husband has told me a lot about you." She responded with a smile.

The two couples finally settled down to have some lunch. Yi Jung and Warren had hit it off since both were very much involved in the art world. Laura and Ga eul had also enjoyed each other‟s company as they found out that they were both preschool teachers. Laura had been teaching nursery kids for four years now.

Light and easy conversation had flowed all through out lunch and through coffee. Occasional peals of laughter were heard as both couples shared moments and experiences about their respective lives. It was almost three o‟clock when the couples finally decided to part ways.

Laura and Ga eul had decided to go to the bathroom first leaving Yi Jung and Warren waiting for them outside the café.

"It‟s good you followed Ga eul to New York" Warren opened up as they waited for their respective wives to arrive. "I could tell that she was very lonely the first time I had met her."

"It‟s not really fun to travel alone. I‟ve tried to convince her to wait for me but she wanted so much to leave." Yi Jung replied.

"I guess she was just missing you very much." Warren said with a smile. Yi Jung ears perked up with interest. "She couldn‟t stop talking about you."

"Really?" He asked in a pleased tone. Yi Jung couldn‟t help but break into a huge grin after hearing Warren‟s words.

"You‟re very lucky to have a wife that loves you very much." Warren commented with a warm smile.

Yi Jung‟s heart swelled with happiness. "Yes" He agreed with a small smile on his face. "I‟m very lucky indeed."


	31. A Promise of Eternity

Yi Jung and Ga eul finally bid goodbye to Warren and Lauren as soon as the girls returned from the bathroom.

"I hope we could meet up again sometime." Lauren said with a smile as she gave Ga eul a hug.

"We can take you on a tour around the city." Warren suggested. "We‟ll show you the different interesting spots that only true blue New Yorkers know about."

"That‟s a great idea." Yi Jung agreed. "Thank you so much for the offer." He said with a smile. He extended his hand to both Warren and Lauren to bid them both goodbyes.

"We‟ll see you again soon." Ga eul said smiling at the couple who had become their instant friends.

After waving goodbye, Yi Jung and Ga eul started heading down the sidewalk towards their apartment. They had not bothered taking the car as the restaurant was near enough and it had been a beautiful day to take a walk. As they walked down the block Yi Jung reached out and took Ga eul‟s hand in his. Ga eul looked at Yi Jung in surprise but she did not say anything. She looked down at their intertwined hands in wonder. They‟ve never really held hands before except during occasional affairs such as formal dinners for the museum where in people would be watching them. Holding hands simply because they were walking on the street was something very new for Ga eul. The simple gesture exuded an aura of "togetherness" that Ga eul could not help but imagine that even for just a moment they were a normal couple in a normal relationship. The feel of Yi Jung‟s hand on hers was very comforting and she did not want to let go.

They had walked in comfortable silence enjoying the sights and sounds of the busy city. Yi Jung did not let go of Ga eul‟s hand all through out and she felt her cheeks flush as she felt Yi Jung caressing her palm with the pad of his thumb.

"Did you have fun during lunch today?" Ga eul asked breaking the silence. She had wanted to distract herself from the wave of emotions that Yi Jung was causing her.

"Yes I did" Yi Jung said as he glanced towards Ga eul with a small smile on his face. "Warren is very knowledgeable about art and had gotten me interested in sculpting."

Ga eul smiled back. "So are you going to give it a try?" She asked.

"Maybe, I think I‟ll try it out just for fun. Warren had suggested a few good books on sculpting that I can check out." Yi Jung replied.

Ga eul was glad that Yi Jung seemed to have hit it off with Warren given he was quite wary about him initially.

As they were walking they passed by a small flower stand. "Flowers, get your flowers here." The lady manning the stall had called out to them with a smile. Ga eul could not help but smile at the burst of colorful flowers displayed. Yi Jung glanced at his wife and saw the smile lighting up her face. He started to head towards the stall pulling Ga eul along with him.

"Where are we going Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked in confusion. She had a bewildered expression on her face as Yi Jung stopped in front of the flower stall.

"You have such beautiful flowers." Yi Jung commented smiling back at the lady behind the stall.

"Thank you" The lady replied with a pleased look in her eyes. "We have a lot of different kinds of flowers available. Why don‟t you buy some for the lovely lady beside you?" She suggested.

"Do you have some red tulips by any chance?" Yi Jung inquired.

"Yes, as a matter of fact we do." The lady replied.

"Then I would like to take a dozen please." Yi Jung requested his hand tightening around Ga eul‟s.

"Yi Jung?" Ga eul said with a questioning look in her eyes. Yi Jung glanced at her offering her a smile but did not say anything.

The lady finally returned holding an exquisite bouquet of red tulips and handed it over to Yi Jung. Yi Jung accepted them with a smile as he thanked and paid the lady. He then turned towards Ga eul and handed the bouquet to her.

Ga eul‟s jaw dropped in surprise as she reached out and took the bouquet. "Thank you Yi Jung. But what is this for?" Ga eul asked shyly.

"Do I need an occasion to give you flowers?" Yi Jung asked her with a smirk on his handsome face. "I think I can buy flowers for my wife anytime I want to."

Ga eul stared at Yi Jung as if he had grown another head. What has gotten into him? He had been acting so differently eversince he had arrived.

"I think it‟s about time that we head back to the apartment." Yi Jung said before Ga eul could react. "I‟m sure you‟re tired. You should rest first before we go out for dinner tonight."

"We‟re going out?" Ga eul asked her eyes widening in surprise. Yi Jung had not told her about that until now. Her husband sure has a lot of surprises up his sleeve today.

"I found this restaurant at the corner of 43rd and 9th streets that I wanted to try out. I hope you don‟t mind." Yi Jung replied.

"Oh, I don‟t mind." Ga eul assured him. "I was just surprised that‟s all."

Yi Jung grinned at his wife as he reached out and took her hand again. He couldn‟t seem to stop holding her hand. Contentment seemed to seep from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes everytime he felt Ga eul‟s warm hand against his. It was a wonderful feeling and he was not willing to give it up.

It was already quarter to four by the time they reached the apartment. Ga eul headed towards the kitchen to search for a vase for the tulips. She was surprised when Yi Jung announced that he was leaving again.

"But we just got home?" Ga eul asked in bewilderment.

"I just remembered that omma wanted me to run some errands for her while I‟m here. I think it would be best to get them out of the way." Yi Jung reasoned out.

"Can‟t you just do it tomorrow?" Ga eul requested. She couldn‟t see the reason why Yi Jung had to do it now. They would be staying in New York for a few more weeks. He would have plenty of time to finish everything during their stay there.

"Omma wants to have it done as soon as possible." Yi Jung explained. "Don‟t worry, I won‟t take long. I‟ll be back before you know it."

"Okay" Ga eul finally agreed. Yi Jung seemed to be determined to do it now and besides she wouldn‟t want to let omma get mad at Yi Jung for not following her instructions.

Yi Jung smiled and leaned over to give her a peck on the lips. "I‟ll be right back." He said and headed towards the door.

Ga eul settled herself on the sofa as soon as Yi Jung left. Yi Jung had been acting really strange and she couldn‟t figure out why. He was still the same and yet so different. Ga eul was having a hard time describing it. Over-all he was still the same old Yi Jung but it was the little things that was making her confused. He seems to be more affectionate towards her and there was a twinkle in his eye that she could not put a name on. Ga eul used to pride her self on her ability to read Yi Jung like a book. Seven years of friendship had enabled her to detect any hints of sadness, anger, happiness, doubt, and fear by just looking in his eyes. But now, there was a certain glint in his eyes that she had a hard time deciphering. As far as she knows, she has never seen it in his eyes before. It had been there eversince he had met her at the Empire State Building and it had remained there eversince.

Ga eul had been so distracted with her thoughts that she did not realize that she had been staring into space for the past thirty minutes. The peal of the doorbell had brought her back to the present. Expecting it to be Yi Jung, Ga eul rushed to the door but found her bodyguard instead. He was holding a package wrapped in brown paper. He handed it to her as soon as she opened the door.

"Master wants me to give this to you." He said as he held it out towards Ga eul.

Ga eul reached out for it with a confused look on her face. "Where is Yi Jung?" She asked.

"He said he‟ll be back in awhile." Ga eul‟s bodyguard replied.

Ga eul thanked him and headed back inside. Filled with curiosity, she opened the package and let out a gasp as soon as she saw what was inside. It was a beautiful portrait of Venus, the goddess of beauty. A cream colored envelope was also inside and Ga eul gently placed the painting down in order to read the note.

The goddess of beauty is nothing compared to you…

The short statement was written in Yi Jung‟s hand writing. Ga eul could feel her self grow warm with his words. She immediately grabbed her phone to call him but Yi Jung did not pick up. She called him five times but all of her calls went straight to voice mail.

"Where is he?!" She wondered aloud in frustration. She paced back and forth in the sitting room waiting for him to arrive. Suddenly the door bell rang again

and Ga eul rushed to the door. To her disappointment it was her body guard who was standing outside the door again.

"We have a delivery mistress." He announced with a slight bow and stepped aside to let the delivery men in.

Ga eul dropped her jaw in shock as bouquet after bouquet of red roses was brought in to their apartment. In an instant the entire sitting room was filled with flowers. One of the delivery men handed Ga eul a note before leaving. With trembling fingers Ga eul opened the note and read it.

The language of flowers has never been so sweet.

The note was again written in Yi Jung‟s hand writing. Ga eul picked up her phone and started dialing again. She had to talk to Yi Jung. She was desperate to know what was going on. Ga eul called Yi Jung ten times but all her calls were left unanswered.

Ga eul plopped into the sofa and gave out a frustrated sigh. She checked her watch and found out that it was almost six in the evening. For the third time, the door bell rang again and Ga eul had to maneuver her way around the bouquets of flowers in order to get to the door. Her bodyguard was standing on the door again this time holding out two packages for Ga eul.

Ga eul took the packages from him and brought them to her bedroom. The first package contained a beautiful blue cocktail dress that had a spatter of silver beads all around. It reminded Ga eul of the midnight sky. The smaller package on the other hand contained silver strappy shoes that perfectly matched the dress. There was a short note attached to the package.

I‟ll see you at 7pm tonight.

Ga eul stared at the note in bewilderement. That was it? Not even a short explanation of what was happening? He had filled the apartment with flowers, compared her to the goddess of beauty and sent her mysterious short notes that had her tingling with anticipation. Now he wanted her to meet him as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened?

Ga eul was dying with curiosity and anticipation but it looks like she just has to trust Yi Jung with this one. She was going to see him soon anyway and she was going to bombared him with questions as soon as she sees him.

Ga eul was restless all through out the car ride. She had no idea where she was going. When she went down the apartment, the driver was already waiting for her at the curb. She couldn‟t wait to see Yi Jung. There were so many questions running through her head right now. The painting and the flowers had all came as a surprise. Ga eul did not want to allow her self to hope but she couldn‟t seem to help herself.

At exactly 7pm Ga eul emerged from the car wearing the dress and shoes that Yi Jung had sent her. The driver had brought her in front of a chic restaurant downtown. Ga eul‟s heart skipped a beat as soon as she spotted Yi Jung, who was dressed in a dark dinner jacket and dress pants, waiting for her near at the entrance of the restaurant.

Ga eul headed purposefully towards him armed with a slew of questions that she had wanted to ask. But before she could open her mouth Yi Jung placed a finger on her lips prompting her to be quiet. He seemed to have anticipated Ga eul‟s intention to bombard him with questions.

"You‟ll know in time." He murmured as if answering all her silent questions. He moved his finger away from her lips to tuck away a strand of curl that had fallen near her face.

Ga eul stared back at Yi Jung as deciding if she should trust him or bombard him with questions. She was bursting with curiosity. She gazed into his eyes and spotted that unfamiliar glint that seemed to hold a lot of unsaid promises. She finally decided to keep quiet and trust him on this one.

Yi Jung held out his arm and Ga eul wound her arms around his. Together they entered the restaurant and the maitre„d had seated them in one of the quiet and secluded areas. Ga eul looked around her surroundings appreciatively. She had to admit Yi Jung had made a good choice on this one. The restaurant was beautiful without being too over bearing. The aura of luxury that it exuded was subtle and Ga eul felt comfortable. In one corner a grand piano was situated and the pianist was playing mellow and enchanting tunes that added on the romantic ambiance of the restaurant.

"It‟s such a beautiful place!" Ga eul whispered to Yi Jung admiringly.

"I‟m glad you liked it." Yi Jung answered her with a smile.

The waiter had finally arrived and the next few minutes found them busy deciding on what to choose from the appetizing menu that the chef was offering for the night. When they finally selected their orders and Yi Jung had chosen the wine to go with it, the waiter left and they were alone again.

Ga eul gazed at her husband across the table. "I haven‟t had the chance to thank you." She said.

Yi Jung raised his eyebrows at her. "What for?" He asked.

"For the painting and the flowers you sent this afternoon." Ga eul reminded him.

"Oh that" Yi Jung said with a smirk. "Did you like them?" He inquired.

Ga eul nodded in response. "But what were they for? It‟s not my birthday or anything?" She asked curiously.

"I think it‟s quite normal for a husband to give his wife gifts." Yi Jung replied mysteriously.

Ga eul sighed quietly in frustration. It looks like she wouldn‟t be getting any answers from Yi Jung anytime soon.

Their food had soon arrived and Yi Jung and Ga eul spent the next forty five minutes enjoying their food and sharing a light and easy conversation together. Ga eul had decided to put aside her curiosity for now and instead focused on enjoying the evening with Yi Jung.

When they were finally finished eating Ga eul focused her attention on the pianist and smiled appreciatively. He was very good and Ga eul was enjoying the music. Suddenly Yi Jung stood up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" Ga eul asked in surprise.

Yi Jung gave her a mysterious smile but did not respond. Instead he headed towards the pianist and spoke to him for a few minutes. Ga eul watched her husband wondering what he was up to. To her astonishment the pianist stood from his seat and Yi Jung took his place. He caught Ga eul‟s gaze and gave her a playful wink. Then he turned his attention back to the piano keys and started playing. Ga eul realized that it was one of her favorite songs. Ga eul captivatedly watched her husband as his hands glided across the ivory keys. She never knew Yi Jung could play the piano. She had always known that he played the saxophone since it was what he played during their pretend date all those years ago when he helped her get back at that good for nothing ex-

boyfriend of hers. It was a night that she would forever remember. It was the night that she had fallen in love with him.

The crowd broke into a round of applause as soon as he had finished and he gave a small bow before returning to their table. As soon as he was near enough, Yi Jung held out his hand towards Ga eul.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked. The pianist had returned to his seat and was playing another soulful love song.

Ga eul gave a small nod as she reached out to put her hand on his. Yi Jung guided her to the dance floor and gathered her into his arms. They swayed slowly with the music and Ga eul could not help but rest her chin on Yi Jung‟s shoulder enjoying their closeness.

"Are you having fun?" Yi Jung asked softly as he held Ga eul close to him.

"Yes, everything is beautiful." Ga eul agreed with a sigh.

"It‟s a wonderful night to fall in love don‟t you think?" Yi Jung whispered softly against Ga eul‟s ear.

Ga eul drew a sharp breath as soon as she heard Yi Jung‟s words. She pulled back a little bit to look questioningly into his eyes. Yi Jung looked back at her with a gentle smile on his face.

"Yi Jung?" Ga eul started to ask. He had been talking in riddles all night and Ga eul couldn‟t take it anymore.

"Come, I have something to show you." Yi Jung murmured as he guided Ga eul towards the exit. She followed him quietly as her heart thudded rapidly in her chest.

Ga eul let out a small gasp as soon as they stepped out of the restaurant. A horse drawn carriage was parked right in front. Yi Jung helped Ga eul into her coat and led her towards the carriage.

"Shall we?" Yi Jung asked with a smirk as he extended out his hand to help her get in. Ga eul looked at the carriage and then at Yi Jung as she tried to process what was going on. Yi Jung had given her one surprise after the other that her heart seemed to have a hard time keeping up. If Yi Jung‟s intention was for her to fall completely in love with him with no chances of recovering then he had succeded hands down.

Ga eul reached out tentatively to hold Yi Jung‟s hand and he gently helped her into the carriage. Yi Jung followed and sat close beside her as he placed a cashmere blanket over their lap to protect them from the cold. As the carriage started to move Yi Jung reached out and took Ga eul‟s hand in his.

They rode in silence for awhile. Ga eul glanced slightly at Yi Jung wanting to see his face. What is he thinking right now? Ga eul wondered silently. His countenance wore a contented expression as he softly traced circles of eight on Ga eul‟s palm with his finger.

Ga eul shivered at the sensations that his touch was bringing her. She had wanted so much to speak up and ask what was happening between them right now but she was robbed of speech for the moment. Her poor heart pounded incessantly in her chest. She was nervous and excited at the same time. Her instinct was telling her that something big was going to happen.

Finally after what seemed like eternity, Yi Jung spoke up. He wore a somber expression as he turned towards Ga eul and looked into her eyes. "Do you remember the promise I made to you before?" He asked.

Ga eul had a perplexed look in her eyes as she gazed back at him. She wasn‟t really sure what promise he was referring to.

Yi Jung took a deep breath before continuing. "Remember when we made our agreement, I told you that you could leave this marriage any time you want to?" He reminded her.

Ga eul‟s breathing became erratic. What was Yi Jung trying to say? Ga eul thought fearfully.

"I realized that I could not keep that promise anymore." He announced to her.

"What do you mean Yi Jung?" Ga eul whispered.

"I can‟t let you go Ga eul. I don‟t seem to be capable of doing that anymore." Yi Jung whispered back.

Ga eul‟s heart skipped a beat as she comprehended the meaning of Yi Jung‟s words. She opened her mouth to speak but Yi Jung held his finger against her lips.

"Instead, I‟m offering you another promise Ga eul and I hope that you would consider it." Yi Jung uttered in a tender voice. He reached into his pocket and produced a small velvet box and handed it to Ga eul.

Ga eul reached for the box with trembling hands and opened it slowly. Nestled inside was a platinum band that had an inlay of diamonds all around. The beautiful gems winked against the soft light as Ga eul gazed at it in awe.

"They call it an eternity ring." Yi Jung explained softly. "I‟m promising you forever Ga eul."


	32. A Consummation of Love

Ga eul‟s heart stopped as soon as she realized what Yi Jung‟s words meant. She gazed silently at him as Yi Jung continued with his confession.

"I know that I have always said that I am a person incapable of love. I have always kept my heart under lock and key careful not to let anybody in. But you Ga eul, you managed to slip through the cracks and break through my guard with out me realizing it. I had never known love and because of this I had not recognized it even if it was staring right at me. I never thought I could be that stupid." Yi Jung said with a sad smile. "The week that we had been apart was absolutely hell. I felt empty inside as if I had lost something very important. My heart was restless and I could not function right. I couldn‟t figure out what was wrong with me until my friends knocked me to my senses." He paused as he gently cupped Ga eul‟s cheek with his hand. "What I‟m trying to say is that I love you Ga eul." He admitted tenderly. "I think I have loved you for a long time without really realizing it."

Ga eul could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to Yi Jung‟s words. She couldn‟t believe that this was actually real. She had dreamed and hoped about this moment for a long time without actually expecting it to become reality.

"I‟m ashamed that I had to bring you to a situation that compromised all that you believed in. You‟ve always believed in happy endings, true love and soulmates. Because of me you had to give it all up when you agreed to marry me. I promise will try to make up for everything. I can‟t promise though that everything would always be bright and rosy. I know we would have our ups and downs. All that I am sure of right now is that what I‟m feeling is real and if you would give me a chance I would spend the rest of our lives proving that to you." Yi Jung said as he looked lovingly into Ga eul‟s eyes.

"You don‟t have to prove anything Yi Jung." Ga eul whispered with a smile. Tears of joy were falling down her cheeks. "You know that I‟m the kind of girl who had always been steadfast in her beliefs. You don‟t have to worry. I didn‟t compromise anything when I agreed to marry you."

Yi Jung gazed at her with a confused look in his eyes.

"I wouldn‟t have married you if I didn‟t love you." She confessed softly. Ga eul could not stop the blush that stained her cheeks as she finally professed the secret that she had been harboring for so long.

Yi Jung felt his heart soar as he heard Ga eul‟s declaration. "I can‟t believe we have wasted so many years." He said as he leaned over to rest his forehead against Ga eul‟s. He caressed Ga eul‟s cheeks softly with his thumb.

"That‟s okay." Ga eul assured him. "We have the rest of our lives to make up for it." She whispered.

Yi Jung pulled away from Ga eul to take the ring out of the box. "Do you accept my promise?" He asked.

"Yes" Ga eul whispered with a smile and Yi Jung slipped the eternity ring against her wedding and engagement rings.

The horse carriage drew to a stop a few minutes later and Ga eul was surprised to know that they were already in front of their apartment. Yi Jung descended the carriage first and then grabbed hold of Ga eul‟s waist to hoist her down the side walk. Ga eul let out a small squeal as Yi Jung lifted her up.

They walked together hand in hand towards the building where their apartment was situated. Ga eul‟s heart was hammering like crazy as they entered the lift to get to their penthouse apartment. She glanced nervously at Yi Jung. He was busy watching the numbers in the elevator shift as they ascended from one floor to the next. He held Ga eul‟s hand possessively with his.

Finally the elevator reached the top floor and the doors parted. Yi Jung and Ga eul stepped out into the hallway and walked towards the door of their apartment. Ga eul‟s heart was now fluttering like a humming bird as Yi Jung inserted the key into the lock. They entered the apartment together and the electricity in the air heightened as soon as Yi Jung closed the door behind them. Ga eul walked towards the sitting room while she took off her coat and set it down on the backrest of the couch. She turned towards Yi Jung and was just in time to see him shrugging off his jacket and loosening his tie.

Ga eul swallowed hard as she watched him. Her breathing was erratic and shallow and she shivered in anticipation. Every barrier and obstruction that they had built around them had been chipped off and there were no walls between them now. Yi Jung looked up and gazed at her and Ga eul‟s breath caught. Yi Jung‟s eyes smoldered with desire and her body felt warm all over.

Ga eul nervously twisted the rings on her finger as she watched Yi Jung from across the room. With out breaking her gaze Yi Jung walked slowly towards her and Ga eul held her breath until he was only inches away from her. "Are you afraid?" Yi Jung murmured.

Ga eul stared into Yi Jung‟s eyes and found that now familiar glint that she had been trying so hard to decipher. She finally had a label for it and everything was as clear as the blue, cloudless sky. Yi Jung loved her. That new found knowledge caused Ga eul‟s confidence to soar. "No" She whispered tenderly as she hooked her fingers in Yi Jung‟s belt hooks and pulled him closer to her. She saw Yi Jung smirk before she closed her eyes and felt his lips close over hers.

The kiss they shared was gentle at first as they celebrated the new found love they have for each other. Yi Jung caressed his lips against hers as he cupped her face with his hands. Ga eul, boldened by her confidence of Yi Jung‟s love, slipped her tongue and traced Yi Jung‟s lower lip eliciting a moan from him.

Yi Jung slipped his hands into her hair and cupped the back of her neck as he deepened their kiss. Ga eul ran her hands through Yi Jung‟s silky hair and pulled him closer to her. They shared kiss after kiss. Both of them seemed reluctant to come up for air. Finally Yi Jung pulled away but only to press soft kisses around Ga eul‟s jaw and down her throat. Ga eul closed her eyes as she felt Yi Jung‟s hands slide down to her shoulders to gently slip off the delicate straps of her dress. Yi Jung trailed kisses down her shoulder before pulling up to gaze into her eyes. Ga eul stared back at him both of them were breathing heavily. They knew that they had reached the point of no return.

Without a word Yi Jung gently lifted her into his arms and brought her to the bedroom. He set her down at the edge of the bed. He reached behind her and with aching slowness pulled down the zipper of her dress until it dropped into a silky pool around her feet. Ga eul instinctively brought her hands up to cover herself. This was the first time anyone has seen her like this and she couldn‟t help but feel embarrassed.

Yi Jung tenderly pulled her hands away from her body. "Don‟t, you‟re beautiful." He whispered. Desire was thick in his voice. He guided Ga eul‟s hands into the buttons of his shirt. With trembling fingers, Ga eul opened the buttons one at a time. Her hands were shaking so much that it took her quite awhile before she was able to undo all the buttons. When the last button was finally free Yi Jung took her into his arms and claimed her lips again.

Yi Jung laid her on the bed as soon as they were free from all the barriers between them. Ga eul could not help but sigh as she felt Yi Jung‟s skin against her own. She ran her fingers against the silky softness of his skin and had gazed in awe as she felt Yi Jung shudder at her touch.

Yi Jung was surprisingly gentle as he gathered her into his arms and held her close. His fingers caressed her body and she shivered with pleasure. Ga eul discovered new and unfound pleasures that she never knew she was capable of feeling and she could feel herself drowning in them.

Yi Jung was very considerate and focused more on giving her pleasure rather than thinking of his own. When the moment finally came Ga eul could feel herself tense in apprehension. Yi Jung bent down and whispered sweet nothings into her ears until she could feel her body relax. It had been uncomfortable initially but the pain eventually subsided. Yi Jung guided her and they moved as one finding their rhythm together. Yi Jung encouraged Ga eul to keep her eyes on his and their gazes were locked into each other the entire time.

Finally Ga eul closed her eyes as pleasure overcame her. "I love you" She heard Yi Jung whisper against her ear. She bit her lip but couldn‟t control the moan from coming out of her lips. Yi Jung bent down and claimed her lips just as he succumbed to his own release.

Yi Jung and Ga eul lay together spent but very much contented. Yi Jung held Ga eul close to him, her head resting at the crook of his shoulder while he ran his hands softly through her hair. Cuddling was something Yi Jung was not used to. During his Casanova years, cuddling was never part of the deal. He was used to loving and leaving his women. But this time Yi Jung could not describe the inexplicable joy he felt by just having Ga eul in his arms.

Ga eul lay in Yi Jung‟s arms and she could not remember a time when she was this happy. Her heartbeat had finally settled down but she could not help but blush as she remembered what they had just shared a few moments ago.

She looked up at Yi Jung as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the rings on her finger. "Has it always been like this for you?" Ga eul could not help but ask.

Yi Jung looked at Ga eul and smiled. He knew that this was something totally new for Ga eul and he couldn‟t help but feel pleased knowing that he would be the first and last man to ever touch her so intimately. Unfortunately it could not be said the same way for him. He could not deny that there had been many women before her. Countless women, whose names and faces he had forgotten, had waltz in and out of his life. She may not be his first but he could definitely assure her that she would be the last and the one and only until the day he dies.

"No, never like this" He answered truthfully. Ga eul could not help but raise an eyebrow at him prompting him to chuckle at her. It was funny of Ga eul to ask him that and not believe him when he gave her an honest answer. Yi Jung pulled Ga eul closer to him and dropped a kiss on her forehead. It was true that he had known the pleasure of sex before but he could truly say that this experience was entirely different from his past encounters.

After all, this was the first time he had ever made love.


	33. In Years to Come

Yi Jung had a loving smile on his face as he gazed at the three year old girl from across the hall of the museum. Wearing a yellow sundress with a spatter of white daffodils around the skirt, the little girl looked like a small doll. She was gazing intently at a bowl that was displayed in one of the glass cases. It would be odd to have a three year old girl so interested at a two hundred year old bowl but then again she was not an ordinary girl.

She finally looked up from the display as if sensing that somebody was watching her. As soon as she had spotted Yi Jung, a smile lit up her beautiful face and she started to run towards him.

"Appa!" She exclaimed with happiness as she threw herself into Yi Jung‟s arms.

Yi Jung gathered the little girl into his arms and hoisted her up into the air eliciting a series a giggles from her.

"How was your day Eun Mi?" Yi Jung asked his daughter as he gave her a big hug. He had missed her cheerful demeanor the entire day. He gazed at her gentle porcelain face that looked so much like her mother‟s.

Ga eul had found out that she was pregnant a month after they had returned from New York. Yi Jung could not forget the joy and anticipation that he felt upon hearing that news. He was going to be a father. It had felt so surreal. It was a mixture of happiness and fear that he could not describe. He had been excited with the prospect of having a child but he also could not take out the fear and doubt that he would end up being like his father. Ga eul had taken him into her arms and calmed his fears as she assured him that he was nothing like his father.

Looking at his daughter right now, he could not take out that certain feeling of pride within him. She was growing up to be beautiful and smart and at an early age was already showing signs of possessing the talent of creating beautiful pottery. She had already taken a liking in playing with clay and Yi Jung and Ga eul have to admit that her creations were a hundred times better than Ga eul‟s five year old kindergarteners. Not that they were biased. There were times wherein she would request her father if she could join him when he was working in his studio and he would usually sit her on his lap while he created exquisite pots and vases. Yi Jung enjoyed very much their father and daughter bondings and was looking forward to actually teaching her the art of pottery in the years to come.

"It was great appa!" Eun Mi exclaimed excitedly. "Omma brought me to her class today and I played clay with her students!"

"Where‟s your omma?" He asked his daughter curiously as she settled herself in Yi Jung‟s arms. Eun Mi turned her body slightly and pointed her tiny fingers towards the direction of the huge doorway. True enough Ga eul walking towards them from that direction.

Yi Jung looked tenderly at his wife. He had to admit that the years had made her more beautiful. She had blossomed into bold and confident woman and he admired her for being able to juggle her duties as a teacher and her responsibilities as a So wife. She had mastered their business quite well and would sometimes help Yi Jung out with some of the duties in the museum.

Ga eul let out a smile as she saw her daughter and husband waiting for her at the end of the hallway. Seeing both of them together had never failed to make her smile. She reached out to give each of them a peck on the cheek as soon as she reached them.

"Are you done for the day Yi Jung?" Ga eul asked her husband.

"Yes, I just finished giving last minute instructions to the curator and informed him that if there were any problems they could contact omma about it." Yi Jung responded with a smile.

Yi Jung and Ga eul were leaving for Paris that night as a celebration of their fourth year anniversary. It had been a long time since their last vacation together. Things had been busy these past years with Yi Jung settling himself as the museum‟s head and with Ga eul having her hands full with a baby to take care off. They had finally decided that Eun Mi was big enough and that she could be left behind with her halmoni while they were away.

"I think we better leave soon. Omma is already expecting us and she wouldn‟t be happy if we‟re late. You know how much she adores her little Eun Mi here." He added as they started walking to the direction of the exit.

"Do you think it‟s really okay to leave Eun Mi with omma?" Ga eul asked in concern. They had already discussed this together although this did not prevent her from having some misgivings about it. She was still quite wary of leaving their child.

"Eun Mi is a big girl already and I‟m sure that she will not give her halmoni a headache. Right Eun Mi?" He asked his daughter as he gave her a quick peck on her chubby cheeks.

"Right appa!" Eun Mi replied. She loved speaking in exclamation points. "Eun Mi would be very good and I can‟t wait to stay with halmoni!"

Ga eul could not help but smile at her daughter‟s enthusiasm. "I‟m sure omma is going to spoil her like crazy." She said worriedly.

"I don‟t think that we can prevent that Ga eul. She‟s the only grand child in both sides of the family. I guess she wouldn‟t get that spoiled if she had a brother or a sister to share the attention with." He said as he waggled his eyebrows at Ga eul causing her to slap him on the shoulders.

"Oh! Eun Mi would like a brother or a sister!" She exclaimed happily as she bounced excitedly on Yi Jung‟s arms.

"I think we better start considering that Ga eul considering that your parents requested for five grandchildren." Yi Jung teased Ga eul.

"Yah Yi Jung, we‟re stopping at three whether you like it or not." Ga eul replied.

Madame So was already waiting at the front door when they arrived at her house twenty minutes later.

"Eun Mi! Come to halmoni!" Madame So exclaimed with a huge smile on her face as she opened her arms to welcome the little girl. Eun Mi ran excitedly towards her grandmother as Madame So lifted her into her arms. After showering her grand daughter with kisses Madame So looked at Yi Jung and Ga eul with a smile.

"What time is your flight to Paris?" She asked.

"Our plane will be leaving in two hours so I guess we have to be heading out in awhile." Yi Jung replied as he headed over to his mother to give her a kiss on the cheek. Ga eul followed suit.

"That‟s good." Madame So said approvingly. "Both of you need this trip. You‟ve been burying yourself with work these past years. How do we expect to have a brother or a sister for Eun Mi if you marry yourself in your work?" She reprimanded them gently. Yi Jung gave a small smile while Ga eul could not help but blush after hearing Madame So‟s comment. "Don‟t worry about us." She assured them. "Eun Mi and I would be just fine."

Yi Jung checked his watch. "I think we have to go now omma." Yi Jung said.

"Go ahead, you kids have fun in Paris. You‟ll love it there Ga eul." Madame So said with a smile. It was Ga eul‟s first time to go there and she knew that her daughter in law would enjoy it very much.

Ga eul walked over to Madame So to take Eun Mi in her arms. Her daughter went to her willingly. "Take care of yourself Eun Mi. Listen to your halmoni okay?" Ga eul reminded her daughter as she gave her a big kiss and a hug. "Appa and omma will be back before you know it." She assured her.

Eun Mi nodded her little head and gave her mother a hug and a kiss also. "Eun Mi will be a good girl omma. I promise."

After bidding goodbye to Madame So and Eun Mi, Yi Jung and Ga eul headed outside the door towards their car. It was a thirty minute ride to the airport and they had to leave soon if they wanted to make their flight on time. Yi Jung held his wife‟s hand as they were walking down the steps. He had to admit that he couldn‟t wait to have Ga eul all to himself. Don‟t get him wrong, he loves Eun Mi with all his heart but then again he also missed spending quality time with Ga eul. They had planned this trip for a long time and Yi Jung couldn‟t wait to spend the next two weeks wooing and romancing his wife again.

Yi Jung halted as soon as they reached the bottom of the steps earning him a puzzled look from Ga eul. Yi Jung smirked at his wife as he dropped her hand and wound his arms around her waist instead, pulling her close to him. Ga eul snaked her arms around his neck as Yi Jung pulled her in for a searing kiss. They pulled away a few minutes later both of them were breathing heavily. Ga eul caught the naughty glint in Yi Jung‟s eyes and her heart thudded in anticipation of what was to come.

"I can‟t wait to finally get you alone." Yi Jung leaned over and whispered seductively on Ga eul‟s ears. Ga eul could not help but blush upon hearing her husband‟s suggestive comment. Yi Jung was pleased to know that he could still make her blush after all these years together.

Ga eul whacked Yi Jung on the shoulders. "You‟re insatiable Yi Jung!" Ga eul exclaimed.

Yi Jung couldn‟t help but chuckle at Ga eul. Wasn‟t she used to him by now? He reached out and caressed her cheeks softly with his fingers. He couldn‟t believe that he was so lucky to have her in his life.

"Only with you Ga eul, only with you."


End file.
